/euh verr"zheuhn, -sheuhn/ , n.
1. a strong feeling of dislike, opposition, repugnance, or antipathy (usually fol. by to ): a strong aversion to snakes and spiders.
2. a cause or object of dislike; person or thing that causes antipathy: His pet aversion is guests who are always late.
3. Obs. the act of averting; a turning away or preventing.
[ 1590-1600; aversion- (s. of aversio ), equiv. to avers ( us ) turned away (see AVERSE) + -ion- -ION ]
Syn. 1. distaste, abhorrence, disgust. AVERSION, ANTIPATHY, LOATHING connote strong dislike or detestation. AVERSION is an unreasoning desire to avoid that which displeases, annoys, or offends: an aversion to (or toward ) cats. ANTIPATHY is a distaste, dislike, or disgust toward something: an antipathy toward (or for ) braggarts. LOATHING connotes a combination of hatred and disgust, or detestation: a loathing for (or toward ) hypocrisy, a criminal.
Ant. 1. predilection.