sterile
[ ster-il or, esp. British, -ahyl ]
/ ˈstɛr ɪl or, esp. British, -aɪl /
adjective
free from living germs or microorganisms; aseptic: sterile surgical instruments.
incapable of producing offspring; not producing offspring.
barren; not producing vegetation: sterile soil.
Botany.
- noting a plant in which reproductive structures fail to develop.
- bearing no stamens or pistils.
not productive of results, ideas, etc.; fruitless.
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transliterate
Origin of sterile
First recorded in 1545–55, sterile is from the Latin word sterilis unfruitful
OTHER WORDS FROM sterile
Words nearby sterile
stereovision, steric, steric hindrance, sterigma, sterilant, sterile, sterile cyst, sterilization, sterilize, sterilizer, sterlet
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for sterile
British Dictionary definitions for sterile
sterile
/ (ˈstɛraɪl) /
adjective
unable to produce offspring; infertile
free from living, esp pathogenic, microorganisms; aseptic
(of plants or their parts) not producing or bearing seeds, fruit, spores, stamens, or pistils
lacking inspiration or vitality; fruitless
economics, US (of gold) not being used to support credit creation or an increased money supply
Derived forms of sterile
sterilely, adverbsterility (stɛˈrɪlɪtɪ), nounWord Origin for sterile
C16: from Latin sterilis
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Medical definitions for sterile
sterile
[ stĕr′əl, -īl′ ]
adj.
Not producing or incapable of producing offspring.
Free from all live bacteria or other microorganisms and their spores.
Other words from sterile
ster′ile•ness null n.The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for sterile
sterile
[ stĕr′əl, stĕr′īl′ ]
Not able to produce offspring, seeds, or fruit; unable to reproduce.
Free from disease-causing microorganisms.
Other words from sterile
sterility noun (stə-rĭl′ĭ-tē)The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.