Meaning of sterile in English
Table of contents
Pronunciation
/ˈstɛrəl/US accent
UK accent
to browse different examples of pronunciation.Classifying Adjective
sterileDefinitions
1. free of or using methods to keep free of pathological microorganismsExamples
- « a sterile operating area »
- « aseptic surgical instruments »
- « aseptic surgical techniques »
Synonyms
- 2. deficient in originality or creativity
Examples
- « lacking powers of invention »
- « a sterile ideology lacking in originality »
- « unimaginative development of a musical theme »
- « uninspired writing »
Synonyms
Qualitative Adjective
sterileEtymology
late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin sterilis; related to Greek steira‘barren cow’. sterile (sense 2) dates from the late 19th centuryDefinitions
1. incapable of reproducingExamples
- « an infertile couple »
Synonyms
Antonyms
Famous quotes
- « The passionate controversies of one era are viewed as sterile preoccupations by another, for knowledge alters what we seek as well as what we find. » Freda Adler
- « The very essence of literature is the war between emotion and intellect, between life and death. When literature becomes too intellectual - when it begins to ignore the passions, the emotions - it becomes sterile, silly, and actually without substance. » Isaac Bashevis Singer
- « Become an internationalist and learn to respect all life. Make war on machines. And in particular the sterile machines of corporate death and the robots that guard them. » Abbie Hoffman
- « Who would dare assign to art the sterile function of imitating nature? » Charles Baudelaire
- « And my real enemy is not to hold the specimen sterile, but it's the lighting. The light is our real enemy. So we have to work with very very poor lighting. But we can increase the light with computers. » Lennart Nilsson