Abortive

/əˈbɔɹ.tɪv/ · adjective

Meaning

(obsolete) Produced by abortion; born prematurely and therefore unnatural..

Definitions by Sense

1. (obsolete) Produced by abortion; born prematurely and therefore unnatural.
2. Coming to nothing; failing in its effect. .
3. (biology) Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile.
4. (medicine, pharmacology, rare) Causing abortion; abortifacient.
5. (medicine) Cutting short; acting to halt or slow the progress (of a disease).
6. (medicine, of a disease) Having a short and mild progression, without pronounced symptoms.
7. Made from the skin of a still-born animal.
8. (obsolete) Someone or something born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion.

Example Sentences

an abortive child

Thou elvish-marked, abortive, rooting hog!

an abortive attempt

[…] and with utter loss of being / Threatens him, plung'd in that abortive gulf.

The king in vain excused his hasty retreats and abortive enterprises

He made a salutation, or, to speak nearer the truth, an ill-defined, abortive attempt at curtsy.

Not surprisingly, ERS has that market covered. It now owns all five of the vehicles fitted with generators for the abortive Nightstar services through the Channel Tunnel.

an abortive organ

Synonyms for abortive

Antonyms for abortive

Related Words

Word Forms

• more abortive
• most abortive
• abortives
• abortiving
• abortived

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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