sterile
ster·ile / ˈsterəl/ • adj. 1. not able to produce children or young: the disease had made him sterile. ∎ (of a plant) not able to produce fruit or seeds. ∎ (of land or soil) too poor in quality to produce crops. ∎ lacking in imagination, creativity, or excitement; uninspiring or unproductive: he found the fraternity's teachings sterile.2. free from bacteria or other living microorganisms; totally clean: a sterile needle and syringes.DERIVATIVES: ster·ile·ly / ˈsterə(l)lē/ adv.ste·ril·i·ty / stəˈrilitē/ n.ORIGIN: late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin sterilis; related to Greek steira ‘barren cow.’ Sense 2 dates from the late 19th cent.
sterile
sterile
1. (of organisms) Unable to produce offspring. See also hybrid; incompatibility; self-sterility; sterilization.
2. (of objects, food, etc.) Free from contaminating microorganisms. See sterilization.
1. (of organisms) Unable to produce offspring. See also hybrid; incompatibility; self-sterility; sterilization.
2. (of objects, food, etc.) Free from contaminating microorganisms. See sterilization.
sterile
sterile unproductive, barren. XVI. — (O)F. stérile or L. sterilis, f. lE. *ster-, repr. also by Skr. start-, Gr. steîra barren cow, Goth. stairō fem. barren; see -ILE.
Hence or — (O)F. stériliser sterilize XVII. So sterility XV. — (O)F. or L.
Hence or — (O)F. stériliser sterilize XVII. So sterility XV. — (O)F. or L.
sterile
sterile
1. Of an organism, unable to produce reproductive structures (i.e. unable to reproduce).
2. Of land, unable to support the growth of plants, especially cultivated crops.
3. Of an environment, object, or substance, completely free of all living organisms, including all micro-organisms of any type or form.
1. Of an organism, unable to produce reproductive structures (i.e. unable to reproduce).
2. Of land, unable to support the growth of plants, especially cultivated crops.
3. Of an environment, object, or substance, completely free of all living organisms, including all micro-organisms of any type or form.
sterile
sterile
1. Of an organism, unable to produce reproductive structures (i.e. unable to reproduce).
2. Of land, unable to support the growth of plants, especially cultivated crops.
3. Of an environment, object, or substance, completely free of all living organisms, including all micro-organisms of any type or form.
1. Of an organism, unable to produce reproductive structures (i.e. unable to reproduce).
2. Of land, unable to support the growth of plants, especially cultivated crops.
3. Of an environment, object, or substance, completely free of all living organisms, including all micro-organisms of any type or form.
sterile
sterile
1. Of an organism, unable to produce reproductive structures, i.e. unable to reproduce
.
2. Of land, unable to support the growth of plants, especially cultivated crops
.
3. Of an environment, object, or substance, completely free of all living organisms, including all microorganisms of any type or form.
1. Of an organism, unable to produce reproductive structures, i.e. unable to reproduce
.
2. Of land, unable to support the growth of plants, especially cultivated crops
.
3. Of an environment, object, or substance, completely free of all living organisms, including all microorganisms of any type or form.
sterile
sterile (ste-ryl) adj.
1. (of a living organism) barren; unable to reproduce its kind (see sterility).
2. (of inanimate objects) completely free from microorganisms that could cause infection.
1. (of a living organism) barren; unable to reproduce its kind (see sterility).
2. (of inanimate objects) completely free from microorganisms that could cause infection.
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