Abortive

English

Etymology

Latin abortīvus, from aborior (“miscarry”). See abort, (verb)

Adjective

Abortive (comparative more Abortive, superlative most Abortive)

1. (rare) Produced by abortion; born prematurely; as an abortive child.
2. (obsolete) Made from the skin of a still-born animal; as an abortive vellum.
3. (obsolete) Rendering fruitless or ineffectual.

   • "Plunged in that abortive gulf." - John Milton

4. Coming to naught; failing in its effect; miscarrying; fruitless; unsuccessful; as, an abortive attempt.

   • An abortive enterprise. - William H. Prescott

5. (biology) Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile; as, an abortive organ, stamen, ovule, etc.
6. (medicine) Causing abortion; as, abortive medicines. - Parr
7. (medicine) Cutting short; as, abortive treatment of typhoid fever.

Synonyms for Abortive

vain, useless, ineffective, futile, fruitless, miscarrying, ineffectual.

Antonyms for Abortive

effectual, productive, efficacious, successful, fruitful.

Thesaurus

barren; bootless; failed; failing; fruitless; futile; gainless; immature; ineffective; ineffectual; inefficacious; lame; manque; miscarried; miscarrying; nonremunerative; of no effect; otiose; profitless; rewardless; sterile; stickit; stillborn; successless; unavailable; unavailing; unformed; unfortunate; unmatured; unproductive; unprofitable; unremunerative; unrewarding; unripe; unsuccessful; useless; vain

Derived terms

• abortiveness

Noun

Abortive (plural Abortives)

1. (obsolete) That which is born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion.

   • "Thou elvish-mark'd, abortive, rooting hog!" - Shakespeare, Richard III, I-iii

2. (obsolete) A fruitless effort or issue.
3. (obsolete) A medicine to which is attributed the property of causing abortion, abortifacient - Dunglison