sterile Hear it!

sterile Definition

ster·ile (ster′əl; Brit & Cdn, usually, -īl′)

adjective

  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.
    1. unable or failing to bear fruit or spores, as a plant, or to germinate, as a seed
    2. having stamens only, as a male flower, or having neither pistils nor stamens

Etymology: L sterilis < IE *ster-, barren (> Gr steira, barren, OE stierc, calf), special use of base *ster-, stiff, rigid > stare

Related Forms:

  • sterility ste·ril′·ity (stə ril′ ə tē) noun
sterile Synonyms

sterile

modif.

  1. Incapable of producing young

    infertile, impotent, childless, infecund, barren, issueless, without issue.

    Antonyms fertile*, productive*, potent. *

  2. Incapable of producing vegetation

    desolate, fallow, waste, desert, arid, dry, barren, unproductive, fruitless, unfruitful, bleak, gaunt; see also empty 1.

    Antonyms rich*, productive*, fertile. *

  3. Scrupulously clean

    antiseptic, septic, sterilized, disinfected, decontaminated, germ-free, sterilized, uninfected, sanitary, hygienic, pasteurized; see also pure 2.

    Antonyms dirty*, infected, contaminated.

  4. Without intellectual interest

    uninspiring, stupid, stale; see dull 4, shallow 2.

  5. Unprofitable

    fruitless, profitless, unproductive; see worthless 1, useless 1.

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, especially 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

sterile Usage Examples

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • render: These technologies either render crops sterile or control their genetic traits via chemicals.
  • keep: When you use one you should try to keep the catheter tip sterile and some departments like you to wear a sterile glove.
  • make: The style or presentation is also being revised to hopefully make the standards less sterile, or putting it plainly - boring.

Modifies a noun

  • saline: They concluded that sterile saline should be replaced by tap water for the cleaning of acute soft tissue wounds.
  • gauze: Clean with a mild soap and water, dry carefully, then cover with sterile gauze.
  • floret: The relatively few double sterile florets on long pedicels surround central cluster of fertile flowers, rather suggestive of a starburst.
  • dressing: There's everything from plasters and ice packs to bandages & sterile dressings.
  • needle: They will then use several very fine sterile needles.
  • drape: A local sterile field must be created using sterile drapes.

Modifying Another Word

  • archeologically: This sealed several archeologically sterile layers of coarse angular sands alternating with fine organic rich silts, possibly turf lines.
  • rather: But again high eighteenth-century oligarchical politics, Walpole and after, was rather sterile: factions rather than parties.
  • completely: The soil either side of the drainage system [ 400 ] appears to be completely sterile; no artifacts or ephemeral deposits were noticed.
  • increasingly: In an increasingly sterile world people seem to be reluctant to take risks.
  • totally: The glass is then given a final rinse with the water fed poles to leave the glass totally sterile.
  • normally: Bacteriuria: the presence of bacteria in the urine ( normally sterile ); not contaminants from the skin, vagina, or prepuce.

Used with adjective complement

  • render: The trade union of a sect renders sterile those tempted by it.
  • remain: The poisonous residues destroyed the environment so badly that even today certain places in the valley remain sterile.
  • seem: Even the landscapes within which we play seemed sterile, for all the minutiae of the graphics.
  • become: Most of Africa's soil is in danger of becoming sterile.
  • keep: Ideal for use where hands need to be kept sterile.
sterile Quotes

O splendid and sterile Dolores, Our Lady of Pain.

—Swinburne, Algernon Charles

Les ve¤  rite¤  s de¤  couvertes par l'intelligence demeurent ste¤  riles. Truths discovered by intelligence are sterile.

—Thibault