[1650–60; ‹ L abscindere, equiv. to ab-ab- + scindere to divide, tear]This word is first recorded in the period 1650–60. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: agency, cardholder, gas, parameter, profileab- is a formal element occurring in loanwords from Latin, where it meant “away from”.Other words that use the affix ab- include: abdicate, abolition