STERILE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does sterile mean? 

• STERILE (adjective)
  The adjective STERILE has 3 senses:

1. incapable of reproducing

2. free of or using methods to keep free of pathological microorganisms

3. deficient in originality or creativity; lacking powers of invention

  Familiarity information: STERILE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STERILE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Incapable of reproducing

Synonyms:

infertile; sterile; unfertile

Context example:

an infertile couple

Similar:

barren (not bearing offspring)

sterilised; sterilized (made infertile)

unfertilised; unfertilized; unimpregnated (not having been fertilized)

Also:

unfruitful (not fruitful; not conducive to abundant production)

impotent (lacking power or ability)

unproductive (not producing or capable of producing)

Attribute:

fecundity; fertility (the state of being fertile; capable of producing offspring)

Antonym:

fertile (capable of reproducing)

Derivation:

sterility (the state of being unable to produce offspring; in a woman it is an inability to conceive; in a man it is an inability to impregnate)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Free of or using methods to keep free of pathological microorganisms

Synonyms:

aseptic; sterile

Context example:

aseptic surgical techniques

Similar:

antiseptic (thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms)

Derivation:

sterileness; sterility ((of non-living objects) the state of being free of pathogenic organisms)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Deficient in originality or creativity; lacking powers of invention

Synonyms:

sterile; unimaginative; uninspired; uninventive

Context example:

uninspired writing

Similar:

uncreative (not creative)

 Context examples 

A process that fills a dosage unit using a vacuum to deliver a powder, which is not performed under sterile conditions.

(Non-Sterile Vacuum Powder Filling Method, NCI Thesaurus)

A process that fills a dosage unit with a powder by volume using gravity flow, which is not performed under sterile conditions.

(Non-Sterile Volumetric Powder Filling Method, NCI Thesaurus)

A compounder does not produce a sterile product.

(Not Compounding Sterile Product, NCI Thesaurus)

A compounder produces a sterile product.

(Compounding Sterile Product, NCI Thesaurus)

A process that fills a dosage unit with a powder, which is performed in a closed environment under sterile conditions and without human intervention.

(Isolated Aseptic Powder Filling Method, NCI Thesaurus)

A sterile preparation intended for parenteral use; five distinct classes of injections exist as defined by the USP.

(Injectable Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

A process that fills a dosage unit with a liquid, which is performed in a closed environment under sterile conditions and without human intervention.

(Isolated Aseptic Liquid Filling Method, NCI Thesaurus)

The study also presented an evidence that there are places on the Earth’s surface, such as the Dallol pools, which are sterile even though they contain liquid water.

(Place discovered on earth with no microbial life, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

A sterile suspension composed of an extract of bovine pulmonary surfactant with surfactant activity.

(Calfactant, NCI Thesaurus)

The infant gut starts out nearly sterile and usually establishes a base-line microbiome in the first six weeks.

(Gut Bacteria from Breastfeeding Linked to Improved Infant Response to Vaccines, U.S. Department of Agriculture)