sterile

adjective

ster·ile ˈster-əl How to pronounce sterile (audio)

chiefly British -ˌī(-ə)l

: failing to bear or incapable of producing fruit or spores

: failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring

a sterile hybrid

: incapable of germinating

sterile spores

of a flower : neither perfect nor pistillate

: unproductive of vegetation

a sterile arid region

: free from living organisms and especially pathogenic microorganisms

a sterile syringe

: lacking in stimulating emotional or intellectual quality : lifeless

a sterile work of art

sterilely

ˈster-ə(l)-lē How to pronounce sterile (audio)

chiefly British -ˌī(-ə)(l)-lē

adverb

sterility

stə-ˈri-lə-tē How to pronounce sterile (audio)

noun

Example Sentences

a sterile dressing for a wound sterile couples sometimes choose to adopt needy children

Recent Examples on the Web Unfortunately, the best thornless mutants are not only sterile, but most of these roses can be unstable and can revert to the thorny condition after temperature shock, freezing or other environmental extremes, and with age and change in soil makeup.

Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Sep. 2022 In hospitals and airports in countries such as the U.S. and China, disinfectant robots have been employed to keep spaces sterile.

Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2022 Instead of pushing abstinence, the approach aims to lower the risk of dying or acquiring infectious diseases by offering sterile equipment — through needle exchanges, for example — or tools to check drugs for the presence of fentanyl.

BostonGlobe.com, 11 May 2022 Instead of pushing abstinence, the approach aims to lower the risk of dying or acquiring infectious diseases by offering sterile equipment — through needle exchanges, for example — or tools to check drugs for the presence of fentanyl.

New York Times, 11 May 2022 Sometimes viruses are passed-down in a plant’s seeds, but aster yellows renders blooms more-or-less sterile.

Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 28 July 2022 Claim plays on two of Hollywood’s most enduring notions of the frontier: the infinite and sterile grandeur of outer space and the pristine vastness of the American West.

Jonathan W. Gray, The New Republic, 22 July 2022 The intense overhead lights left me feeling sterile, cold and exposed.

Serenitie Wang, CNN, 17 June 2022 Offsite moments offered a respite from anxiety and sterile environments.

Vincent T. Davis, San Antonio Express-News, 16 May 2022 See More

sterile

adjective

as in sterilized

not able to produce fruit or offspring sterile couples sometimes choose to adopt needy children the apple tree turned out to be sterile, never yielding a crop of apples

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

sterilized
barren
infertile
unfruitful
impotent
altered
fruitless
neutered
emasculated
castrated
unproductive
spayed
desexed
gelded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fertile
fruitful
productive
fat
rich
prolific
luxuriant
fecund
enriched
impregnated
pregnant
potent
fertilized
bearing
producing
flourishing
yielding
bursting
teeming
blooming
swarming

as in sanitary

free from filth, infection, or dangers to health the hospitals in the war-torn city often lack necessary drugs and sterile surgical supplies

Synonyms & Similar Words

sanitary
aseptic
hygienic
germfree
antibiotic
clean
pristine
antiseptic
immaculate
washed
healthful
spotless
healthy
stainless
unsullied
germicidal
unsoiled
antibacterial
unstained
unpolluted
pure
salubrious
microbicidal
purified
beneficial
untainted
scrubbed
bleached
spic-and-span
wholesome
germproof
squeaky-clean
cleansed
salutary
spick-and-span
undefiled
restorative
whitened
taintless
salutiferous
abluted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

unsanitary
toxic
insanitary
unhygienic
infectious
poisonous
unsterile
pathogenic
dusty
dirty
filthy
unclean
muddy
dingy
sickening
grimy
sordid
stained
soiled
unwashed
grubby
nasty
noxious
grungy
unhealthy
mucky
foul
germy
pathogenetic
bedraggled
miasmic
polluted
unwholesome
unhealthful
unsterilized
tainted
uncleanly
sullied
draggled
smirched
insalubrious
besmirched
defiled

单词	sterile
释义	sterile adjective ster·ile ˈster-əl chiefly British -ˌī(-ə)l 1 a : failing to bear or incapable of producing fruit or spores b : failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring a sterile hybrid c : incapable of germinating sterile spores d of a flower : neither perfect nor pistillate 2 a : unproductive of vegetation a sterile arid region b : free from living organisms and especially pathogenic microorganisms a sterile syringe c : lacking in stimulating emotional or intellectual quality : lifeless a sterile work of art sterilely ˈster-ə(l)-lē chiefly British -ˌī(-ə)(l)-lē adverb sterility stə-ˈri-lə-tē noun Synonyms barren fruitless impotent infertile unfruitful See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences a sterile dressing for a wound sterile couples sometimes choose to adopt needy children Recent Examples on the Web Unfortunately, the best thornless mutants are not only sterile, but most of these roses can be unstable and can revert to the thorny condition after temperature shock, freezing or other environmental extremes, and with age and change in soil makeup. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Sep. 2022 In hospitals and airports in countries such as the U.S. and China, disinfectant robots have been employed to keep spaces sterile. Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2022 Instead of pushing abstinence, the approach aims to lower the risk of dying or acquiring infectious diseases by offering sterile equipment — through needle exchanges, for example — or tools to check drugs for the presence of fentanyl. BostonGlobe.com, 11 May 2022 Instead of pushing abstinence, the approach aims to lower the risk of dying or acquiring infectious diseases by offering sterile equipment — through needle exchanges, for example — or tools to check drugs for the presence of fentanyl. New York Times, 11 May 2022 Sometimes viruses are passed-down in a plant’s seeds, but aster yellows renders blooms more-or-less sterile. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 28 July 2022 Claim plays on two of Hollywood’s most enduring notions of the frontier: the infinite and sterile grandeur of outer space and the pristine vastness of the American West. Jonathan W. Gray, The New Republic, 22 July 2022 The intense overhead lights left me feeling sterile, cold and exposed. Serenitie Wang, CNN, 17 June 2022 Offsite moments offered a respite from anxiety and sterile environments. Vincent T. Davis, San Antonio Express-News, 16 May 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English steryle, from Latin sterilis; akin to Goth stairo barren animal, Sanskrit starī sterile cow First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Phrases Containing sterile self-sterile male-sterile self-sterile male-sterile Kids Definition sterile adjective ster·ile ˈster-əl 1 : not able to produce fruit, crops, or offspring : not fertile sterile soil 2 : free from living germs a sterile bandage Medical Definition sterile adjective ster·ile ˈster-əl, chiefly British -ˌīl 1 : failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring a sterile hybrid compare infertile 2 : free from living organisms and especially microorganisms a sterile syringe a sterile cyst sterile adjective 1 as in sterilized not able to produce fruit or offspring sterile couples sometimes choose to adopt needy children the apple tree turned out to be sterile, never yielding a crop of apples Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance sterilized barren infertile unfruitful impotent altered fruitless neutered emasculated castrated unproductive spayed desexed gelded Antonyms & Near Antonyms fertile fruitful productive fat rich prolific luxuriant fecund enriched impregnated pregnant potent fertilized bearing producing flourishing yielding bursting teeming blooming swarming See More 2 as in sanitary free from filth, infection, or dangers to health the hospitals in the war-torn city often lack necessary drugs and sterile surgical supplies Synonyms & Similar Words sanitary aseptic hygienic germfree antibiotic clean pristine antiseptic immaculate washed healthful spotless healthy stainless unsullied germicidal unsoiled antibacterial unstained unpolluted pure salubrious microbicidal purified beneficial untainted scrubbed bleached spic-and-span wholesome germproof squeaky-clean cleansed salutary spick-and-span undefiled restorative whitened taintless salutiferous abluted Antonyms & Near Antonyms unsanitary toxic insanitary unhygienic infectious poisonous unsterile pathogenic dusty dirty filthy unclean muddy dingy sickening grimy sordid stained soiled unwashed grubby nasty noxious grungy unhealthy mucky foul germy pathogenetic bedraggled miasmic polluted unwholesome unhealthful unsterilized tainted uncleanly sullied draggled smirched insalubrious besmirched defiled See More
随便看	unchristens unchristian unchristianise unchristianised unchristianises unchristianising unchristianize unchristianized unchristianizes unchristianizing unchristianly unchronicled unchronological unchronologically unchurch unchurched unchurches unchurching unchurchliness unchurchly unci uncia unciae uncial uncialer

sterile

adjective

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing sterile

Kids Definition

adjective

Medical Definition

adjective

adjective