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sterile

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ster⋅ile

  [ster-il or, especially Brit., -ahyl]
Use sterile in a Sentence
–adjective
1. free from living germs or microorganisms; aseptic: sterile surgical instruments.
2. incapable of producing offspring; not producing offspring.
3. barren; not producing vegetation: sterile soil.
4. Botany.
a. noting a plant in which reproductive structures fail to develop.
b. bearing no stamens or pistils.
5. not productive of results, ideas, etc.; fruitless.
Origin:
1545–55; < L sterilis unfruitful

Related forms:
ster⋅ile⋅ly, adverb
ste⋅ril⋅i⋅ty  [stuh-ril-i-tee] , ster⋅ile⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
2. infecund, unfruitful.

Antonyms:
2, 3. fertile.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ster·ile   (stěr'əl, -īl')   
adj.  

  1. Not producing or incapable of producing offspring.

    1. Not producing or incapable of producing seed, fruit spores, or other reproductive structures. Used of plants or their parts.

    2. Producing little or no vegetation; unfruitful: sterile land.

  3. Free from live bacteria or other microorganisms: a sterile operating area; sterile instruments.

  4. Lacking imagination, creativity, or vitality.

  5. Lacking the power to function; not productive or effective; fruitless: a sterile discussion.


[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin sterilis.]
ster'ile·ly adv., ster'ile·ness, ste·ril'i·ty (stə-rĭl'ĭ-tē) 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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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: ster·ile
Pronunciation: 'ster-&l, chiefly Brit -"Il
Function: adjective
1 : failing to produce or incapable ofproducing offspring sterile hybrid> —compare INFERTILE
2 : free from livingorganisms and especially microorganisms sterile cyst> —ster·ile·ly /-&l-(l)E/ adverb —ste·ril·i·ty /st&-'ril-&t-E/ noun plural -ties
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

sterile ster·ile (stěr'əl, -īl')
adj.

  1. Not producing or incapable of producing offspring.

  2. Free from all live bacteria or other microorganisms and their spores.

ster'ile·ness or ste·ril'i·ty (stə-rĭl'ĭ-tē) 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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Science Dictionary
sterile   (stěr'əl, stěr'īl')  Pronunciation Key 

  1. Not able to produce offspring, seeds, or fruit; unable to reproduce.

  2. Free from disease-causing microorganisms.


sterility noun (stə-rĭl'ĭ-tē)
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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