SYNONYMS | EXAMPLES | WORD ORIGIN adjective failing to succeed; unsuccessful: an abortive rebellion; an abortive scheme.
born prematurely.
imperfectly developed; rudimentary.
Medicine/Medical producing or intended to produce abortion ; abortifacient . acting to halt progress of a disease. Pathology (of the course of a disease) short and mild without the usual, pronounced clinical symptoms.
Botany (of seeds or pollen grains) imperfect; unable to germinate.
Origin of abortive First recorded in
1300–50; Middle English word from
Latin word
abortīvus. See
abort ,
-ive Related forms a·bor·tive·ly , adverb a·bor·tive·ness , noun non·a·bort·ive , adjective non·a·bort·ive·ly , adverb non·a·bort·ive·ness , noun un·a·bor·tive , adjective un·a·bor·tive·ly , adverb un·a·bor·tive·ness , noun Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Related Words for abortive fruitless ,
futile ,
unsuccessful ,
failed ,
failing ,
ineffective ,
ineffectual ,
unavailing ,
unproductive ,
useless ,
vain ,
worthless Examples from the Web for abortive Contemporary Examples of abortive Migraine drugs fall into two categories: preventive and abortive .
One time was an abortive interview about the U.S. wars in Indochina which ended with him stomping off.
Ross later defined this as "the only new idea" that Arafat had presented at the abortive peace talks.
He recalled previous failed Special Forces operations, including Desert One, the abortive hostage rescue attempt in Iran in 1980.
Historical Examples of abortive And yet it was ministered to, in a dull and abortive manner, by all who made this feint.
Thus the efforts of Malique proved as abortive as the ravings of his master.
They are abortive births of an imperfect or vitiated instinct.
And as passive resistance was their attitude, his purging scheme was abortive .
There had been in the early part of the day an abortive effort at a procession.
British Dictionary definitions for abortive adjective failing to achieve a purpose; fruitless
(of organisms) imperfectly developed; rudimentary
causing abortion; abortifacient
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for abortive adj. late 14c., "born prematurely or dead," from Latin abortivus "pertaining to miscarriage; causing abortion," from abort- , past participle stem of aboriri "disappear, miscarry," from ab- "amiss" (see ab- ) + oriri "appear, be born, arise" (see orchestra ); the compound word used in Latin for deaths, miscarriages, sunsets, etc. The Latin verb for "to produce an abortion" was abigo , literally "to drive away." Not originally used to imply forced or deliberate miscarriage; from 14c.-18c. stillborn children or domestic animals were said to be abortive . Also see abortion . Related: Abortiveness .
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
adj. Not reaching completion, as of a disease subsiding before it has finished its course.
Partially or imperfectly developed; rudimentary.
Abortifacient.
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Related forms a•bor′ tive•ly adv. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
