sterile
adjUK /ˈstɛɹaɪl/ · US /ˈstɛɹəl/
Etymology From Middle French stérile, from Latin sterilis (“barren, futile”). See also Ancient Greek στεῖρα (steîra).
7 senses
- 1Unable to reproduce (or procreate).
- 2Terse; lacking sentiment or emotional stimulation, as in…
- 3Fruitless, uninspiring, or unproductive.
- 4Germless; free from all living or viable microorganisms.
- 5Permanently uninhabitable (as in a planet like Earth) to…
- 6Free from dangerous objects, as a zone in an airport…
- 7Of weapons: foreign-made and untraceable to the United States.
1
Unable to reproduce (or procreate).
- According to that Cabaliſticall Dogma: If Abram had not had this Letter [i.e., ה (he)] added unto his Name he had remained fruitleſſe, and without the power of generation: […] So that being ſterill before, he received the power of generation from that meaſure and manſion in the Archetype; and was made conformable unto Binah.1658, Thomas Browne, “The Garden of Cyrus. […]. Chapter V.”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, […] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, […], London: […] Hen[ry] Brome […], →OCLC, page 192:
2
Figuratively Terse; lacking sentiment or emotional stimulation, as in a manner of speaking.
3
Figuratively Fruitless, uninspiring, or unproductive.
4
Germless; free from all living or viable microorganisms.
- a sterile kitchen table
5
Permanently uninhabitable (as in a planet like Earth) to all life, including even microbes.
6
Free from dangerous objects, as a zone in an airport that can be only be entered via a security checkpoint.
7
Government, Military, Politics, War US Of weapons: foreign-made and untraceable to the United States.
- An early CIA decision was to bring war surplus in Europe to the United States, rather than let it fall into the hands of left-wing movements. Some of the guns would also, it was reasoned, be useful as "sterile" weapons (foreign-made and untraceable to the United States) to be provided secretly to foreign friends.1980, Russell Warren Howe, Weapons: The International Game of Arms, Money and Diplomacy:
- In addition to this rapid supply system, the US Army Counterinsurgency Support Office on Okinawa helped procure special equipment including rucksacks, special rations for irregular troops, 'sterile' weapons which could not be traced to the USA and other items not procurable through foreign channels.1990, Leroy Thompson, The US Army in Vietnam, page 111:
- Antonyms
- fertile, non-sterile, nonsterile, unsterile, fecund, fruitful, potent, productive
- Derived terms
- anti-sterile-neutrino, intersterile, self-sterile, semisterile, sterilant, sterile antineutrino, sterilely, sterileness, sterile neutrino, sterile oat, steripipette, ultrasterile
- Related terms
- sterilisation, sterilization, sterilise, sterilize, sterilised, sterilized, sterility, castrated, castrato, emasculate, neuter
- Hyponyms
- impotent