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abortive

 - 5 dictionary results

a⋅bor⋅tive

  [uh-bawr-tiv]
Use abortive in a Sentence
–adjective
1. failing to succeed; unsuccessful: an abortive rebellion; an abortive scheme.
2. born prematurely.
3. imperfectly developed; rudimentary.
4. Medicine/Medical.
a. producing or intended to produce abortion; abortifacient.
b. acting to halt progress of a disease.
5. Pathology. (of the course of a disease) short and mild without the usual, pronounced clinical symptoms.
6. Botany. (of seeds or pollen grains) imperfect; unable to germinate.
Origin:
1300–50; ME < L abortīvus. See abort, -ive

Related forms:
a⋅bor⋅tive⋅ly, adverb
a⋅bor⋅tive⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. fruitless, ineffectual, bootless, unavailing, vain.

Antonyms:
1. successful.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To abortive
a·bor·tive   (ə-bôr'tĭv)   
adj.  

  1. Failing to accomplish an intended objective; fruitless: an abortive attempt to conclude the negotiations.

  2. Biology Partially or imperfectly developed: an abortive organ.

  3. Causing or meant to cause abortion; abortifacient.

a·bor'tive·ly adv., a·bor'tive·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

abortive 
1394, from L. abortivus "causing abortion," from abortus, pp. of aboriri "disappear, miscarry," from ab- "amiss" + oriri "appear, be born, arise" (see orchestra); the compound word used in L. for deaths, miscarriages, sunsets, etc. The L. verb for "to produce an abortion" was abigo, lit. "to drive away." Abortion first recorded 1547, originally of both deliberate and unintended miscarriages. In 19c. some effort was made to distinguish abortion "expulsion of the fetus between 6 weeks and 6 months" from miscarriage (the same within 6 weeks of conception) and premature labor (delivery after 6 months but before due time). This broke down as abortion came to be used principally for intentional miscarriages. For much of 20c., a taboo word, disguised in print as criminal operation (U.S.) or illegal operation (U.K.), and replaced by miscarriage in film versions of novels. Abort is 1580 as "to miscarry;" 1614 as "to deliberately terminate."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: abor·tive
Pronunciation: &-'bort-iv
Function: adjective
1 : imperfectly formed or developed : RUDIMENTARY
2 a : ABORTIFACIENT b : cutting short <abortive treatment of pneumonia> c : failing to develop completely or typically abortive case of poliomyelitis>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

abortive a·bor·tive (ə-bôr'tĭv)
adj.

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

  2. Partially or imperfectly developed; rudimentary.

  3. Abortifacient.

a·bor'tive·ly adv.
a·bor'tive·ness n.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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