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.
- noting a plant in which reproductive structures fail to develop.
- 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
ANTONYMS FOR sterile
2, 3
fertile.
OTHER WORDS FROM sterile
Words nearby sterile
stereovision,
steric,
steric hindrance,
sterigma,
sterilant,
sterile,
sterile cyst,
sterilization,
sterilize,
sterilizer,
sterlet
British Dictionary definitions for unsterile (1 of 2)
unsterile
/ (ʌnˈstɛraɪl) /
adjective
not free from living, esp pathogenic, microorganisms
British Dictionary definitions for unsterile (2 of 2)
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), nounWord Origin for sterile
C16: from Latin
sterilis
Medical definitions for unsterile
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 unsterile
sterile
[ stĕr′əl, stĕr′īl′ ]
Not able to produce offspring, seeds, or fruit; unable to reproduce.
Free from disease-causing microorganisms.