stillborn

[ stil-bawrn ]

adjective
  1. dead when born.

  2. ineffectual from the beginning; abortive; fruitless: a stillborn plan of escape.

Origin of stillborn

1
First recorded in 1590–1600; still1 + born

Words Nearby stillborn

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use stillborn in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for stillborn

stillborn

/ (ˈstɪlˌbɔːn) /


adjective
  1. (of a fetus) dead at birth

  2. (of an idea, plan, etc) fruitless; abortive; unsuccessful

noun
  1. a stillborn fetus or baby

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