Abortive Definition

ə-bôrtĭv

adjective

Failing to accomplish an intended objective; fruitless.

An abortive attempt to conclude the negotiations.

American Heritage

Coming to nothing; unsuccessful; fruitless.

Webster's New World

Arrested in development; rudimentary.

Webster's New World

Causing abortion.

Webster's New World

Halting a disease process.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

noun

(obsolete) That which is born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion. [Attested from around (1150 to 1350) until the mid 18^th century.]

Wiktionary

(obsolete) A fruitless effort or issue. [Attested from the early 17^th century until the early 18^th century.]

Wiktionary

(obsolete) A medicine to which is attributed the property of causing abortion, abortifacient.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

verb

(obsolete) To cause an abortion; to render without fruit. [Attested only in the 17^th century.]

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Abortive

Singular:

abortive

Plural:

First attested in 1382, with the meaning "causing stillbirth or miscarriage". From Middle English, from Old French abortif, from Latin abortīvus (“causing abortion”), from aborior (“miscarry, disappear”), from ab (“amiss”) + orīor (“appear, be born, arise”).

From Wiktionary