abortive

[ uh-bawr-tiv ]
See synonyms for abortive on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. failing to succeed; unsuccessful: an abortive rebellion; an abortive scheme.

  2. born prematurely.

  1. imperfectly developed; rudimentary.

  2. Medicine/Medical.

  3. Pathology. (of the course of a disease) short and mild without the usual, pronounced clinical symptoms.

  4. Botany. (of seeds or pollen grains) imperfect; unable to germinate.

Origin of abortive

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English word from Latin word abortīvus.See abort, -ive

Other words for abortive

Opposites for abortive

Other words from abortive

  • 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. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for abortive

abortive

/ (əˈbɔːtɪv) /


adjective
  1. failing to achieve a purpose; fruitless

  2. (of organisms) imperfectly developed; rudimentary

  1. 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