adjective · rare

abortive

abortive · more abortive · most abortive

erfolglos, wirkungslos, fruchtlos, fehlgeschlagen

Coming to nothing; failing in its effect. Coming to nothing; failing in its effect. .

UK/əˈbɔː.tɪv/US/əˈbɔɹ.tɪv/

» Their effort proved abortive.

Meaning

7 senses

Coming to nothing; failing in its effect. .
an abortive attempt
erfolglos, wirkungslos, fruchtlos
Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile.
an abortive organ
an abortive stamen
unvollkommen, rudimentär, verkümmert
(rare)Causing abortion; abortifacient.
abtreibend, abortiv
Cutting short; acting to halt or slow the progress (of a disease).
abortive treatment of typhoid fever
abbrechen, abortiv
Having a short and mild progression, without pronounced symptoms.
Made from the skin of a still-born animal.
abortive vellum
(obsolete)Produced by abortion; born prematurely and therefore unnatural.
an abortive child
abgetrieben, vorzeitig

More definitions

failing to accomplish an intended result

Examples

2 sentences

Their effort proved abortive.
CC BY · Tatoeba · shekitten · C2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
This Anglo-Teutonic, castellated, gothized structure must be considered as an abortive production, at once illustrative of bad taste and defective judgment.
CC0 · Tatoeba · Cangarejo · C2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem

Translations

5 languages

Deutsch

By meaning 5

produced by abortion; born prematurely:

coming to naught; fruitless:

imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile:

causing abortion:

medicine: cutting short:

Origin

First attested in 1382, with the meaning "causing stillbirth or miscarriage". From Middle

First attested in 1382, with the meaning "causing stillbirth or miscarriage". From Middle English abortif, from Old French abortif, from Latin abortīvus (“causing abortion”), from aborior (“miscarry, disappear”), from ab (“amiss”) + orior (“appear, be born, arise”).

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