abortive

[ uh-bawr-tiv ]

/ əˈbɔr tɪv /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR abortive ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

Nearby words

abortigenic, abortion, abortion pill, abortion-on-demand, abortionist, abortive, abortive transduction, abortus, abortus bang ring test, aboudikro, abought

Origin of abortive

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English word from Latin word abortīvus. See abort, -ive

SYNONYMS FOR abortive

1 fruitless, ineffectual, bootless, unavailing, vain.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR abortive ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR abortive

1 successful.

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Related forms

a·bor·tive·ly, adverba·bor·tive·ness, nounnon·a·bort·ive, adjectivenon·a·bort·ive·ly, adverb

non·a·bort·ive·ness, nounun·a·bor·tive, adjectiveun·a·bor·tive·ly, adverbun·a·bor·tive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for abortive

Migraine drugs fall into two categories: preventive and abortive.
How to Destroy Your Headaches|Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Tej Azad|June 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One time was an abortive interview about the U.S. wars in Indochina which ended with him stomping off.
Bloody Bloody Richard Nixon’s Role in a Forgotten Genocide|Nick Turse|September 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Ross later defined this as "the only new idea" that Arafat had presented at the abortive peace talks.
Temple Denial|Benny Morris|April 24, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He recalled previous failed Special Forces operations, including Desert One, the abortive hostage rescue attempt in Iran in 1980.
The Defense Secretary's Exit Interview|John Barry|June 21, 2011|DAILY BEAST

They rise from the ruins of one abortive sentence, to launch forth into another with 54 unabated vigour.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. XXII (of 25)|Robert Louis Stevenson
He was an albino and chiefly remembered for his abortive attempt to tax matches, giving rise to the joke “ex luce lucellum.”
Fifty-One Years of Victorian Life|Margaret Elizabeth Leigh Child-Villiers, Countess of Jersey
Owing to an abortive and obscurely originated action for libel, the whole matter revives.
Lord Randolph Churchill|Winston Spencer Churchill
Maxwell pulled out his handkerchief, and made an abortive effort to get his face clean.
Hepsey Burke|Frank Noyes Westcott
Abortive adventures of this kind have in our own time been witnessed.
Charles Dickens as a Reader|Charles Kent

British Dictionary definitions for abortive

abortive

/ (əˈbɔːtɪv) /

adjective

failing to achieve a purpose; fruitless

(of organisms) imperfectly developed; rudimentary

causing abortion; abortifacient

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

Medicine definitions for abortive

abortive

[ ə-bôr′tĭv ]

adj.

Not reaching completion, as of a disease subsiding before it has finished its course.

Partially or imperfectly developed; rudimentary.

Abortifacient.

Related formsa•bor′tive•ly adv.

abortive

adjective

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of abortive

Examples from the Web for abortive

British Dictionary definitions for abortive

abortive

adjective

Medicine definitions for abortive

abortive

adj.