browse words by letter
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
sterile |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Sterile \Ster"ile\, a. [F. st['e]rile, L. sterilis akin to Gr stereo`s stiff, solid, stei^ros barren, stei^ra a cow that has not calved, Goth. stair[=o], fem., barren. See {Stare} to gaze.] 1. Producing little or no crop; barren; unfruitful; unproductive; not fertile; as sterile land; a sterile desert; a sterile year. 2. (Biol.) a Incapable of reproduction; unfitted for reproduction of offspring; not able to germinate or bear fruit; unfruitful; as a sterile flower, which bears only stamens. b Free from reproductive spores or germs; as a sterile fluid. 3. Fig.: Barren of ideas; destitute of sentiment; as a sterile production or author. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: sterile adj 1: not bearing offspring; "a barren woman"; "learned early in his marriage that he was sterile" [syn: {barren}] 2: free of or using methods to keep free of pathological microorganisms; "a sterile operating area"; "aseptic surgical instruments"; "aseptic surgical techniques" [syn: {aseptic}] 3: deficient in originality or creativity; lacking powers of invention:i "a sterile ideology lacking in originality"; "unimaginative development of a musical theme"; "uninspired writing" [syn: {unimaginative}, {uninspired}, {uninventive}]
more about sterile
This work is licensed under a
