sterile

[ ster-il or, esp. British, -ahyl ]
/ ˈstɛr ɪl or, esp. British, -aɪl /

adjective

free from living germs or microorganisms; aseptic: sterile surgical instruments.
incapable of producing offspring; not producing offspring.
barren; not producing vegetation: sterile soil.
Botany.
  1. noting a plant in which reproductive structures fail to develop.
  2. bearing no stamens or pistils.
not productive of results, ideas, etc.; fruitless.

Origin of sterile

First recorded in 1545–55, sterile is from the Latin word sterilis unfruitful

SYNONYMS FOR sterile

2 infecund, unfruitful.

ANTONYMS FOR sterile

2, 3 fertile.

OTHER WORDS FROM sterile

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH sterile

impetus impotence sterility impotence sterility sterilized

Words nearby sterile

stereovision, steric, steric hindrance, sterigma, sterilant, sterile, sterile cyst, sterilization, sterilize, sterilizer, sterlet

British Dictionary definitions for anti-sterility

sterile
/ (ˈstɛraɪl) /

adjective

unable to produce offspring; infertile
free from living, esp pathogenic, microorganisms; aseptic
(of plants or their parts) not producing or bearing seeds, fruit, spores, stamens, or pistils
lacking inspiration or vitality; fruitless
economics, US (of gold) not being used to support credit creation or an increased money supply

Derived forms of sterile

sterilely, adverb sterility (stɛˈrɪlɪtɪ), noun

Word Origin for sterile

C16: from Latin sterilis

Medical definitions for anti-sterility

sterile
[ stĕr′əl, -īl′ ]

adj.

Not producing or incapable of producing offspring.
Free from all live bacteria or other microorganisms and their spores.

Other words from sterile

ster′ile•ness null n.

Scientific definitions for anti-sterility

sterile
[ stĕr′əl, stĕr′īl′ ]

Not able to produce offspring, seeds, or fruit; unable to reproduce.
Free from disease-causing microorganisms.

Other words from sterile

sterility noun (stə-rĭl′ĭ-tē)