sterile

sterile
sterile [ster′əl; ] Brit & Cdn, usually [, ster′īl΄]
adj.
[L sterilis < IE * ster-, barren (> Gr steira, barren, OE stierc, calf), special use of base * ster-, stiff, rigid > STARE]
1. incapable of producing others of its kind; barren
2. producing little or nothing; unfruitful [sterile soil, a sterile policy]
3. lacking in interest or vitality; not stimulating or effective [a sterile style]
4. free from living microorganisms; esp., aseptic
5. Bot.
a) unable or failing to bear fruit or spores, as a plant, or to germinate, as a seed
b) having stamens only, as a male flower, or having neither pistils nor stamens
sterility [stə ril′ ə tē]
n.
SYN.- STERILE and INFERTILE imply incapability of producing offspring or fruit, as because of some disorder of the reproductive system; BARREN and UNFRUITFUL are specifically applied to a sterile woman or to plants or soil; IMPOTENT is specif. applied to a man who cannot engage in sexual intercourse because of an inability to have an erection. All of these words have figurative uses [sterile thinking, an infertile mind, a barren victory, unfruitful efforts, impotent rage ] -ANT. FERTILE

English World dictionary. . 2014.

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  • stérile — [ steril ] adj. • 1370; lat. sterilis I ♦ 1 ♦ Inapte à la génération, à la reproduction par défaut de production de spermatozoïdes (chez l homme) ou d ovules (chez la femme) ou par suite de circonstances s opposant à la fécondation. ⇒ infécond ;… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • sterile — sterile, barren, impotent, unfruitful, infertile mean not having or not manifesting the power to produce offspring or to bear literal or figurative fruit. Sterile, opposed to fertile, in its basic application to living things implies an inability …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • sterile — adj. de tout genre. Qui ne porte point de fruit, quoy qu il soit de nature à en porter. Champ sterile. terre sterile. arbre sterile. On dit, qu Une femme est sterile, pour dire, qu Elle n est point capable d avoir des enfans. On appelle, Année… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • 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;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sterile — Stérile Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Stérile signifie soit sans vie, soit sans possibilité de la donner. Stérile Désinfecté: Médicalement, un milieu stérile est un milieu désinfecté,… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • sterile — early 15c., barren (implied in sterility), from M.Fr. stérile not producing fruit, from L. sterilis barren, unproductive, from PIE *ster sterile, barren originally stiff, rigid (Cf. Gk. steresthai be deprived of, steira sterile, stereos firm, sol …   Etymology dictionary

  • sterile — Sterile, Sterilis, Infoecundus. Terre sterile, Terra ieiuna. Devenir sterile, Sterilescere …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • sterile — sterile. См. стерильный. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • sterile — index barren, ineffective, ineffectual, otiose, unproductive Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • sterile — / stɛrile/ agg. [dal lat. sterĭlis ]. 1. (biol.) [di individuo umano o animale, che non è in grado di generare o di concepire: un cavallo, una coppia s. ; diventare s., rendere s. ] ▶◀ infecondo. ◀▶ fecondo, fertile, prolifico. 2. (bot.) [di… …   Enciclopedia Italiana

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