abortive

Definitions

1. 1.Made from the skin of a still-born animal; as, abortive vellum. [Obs.]
2. 2.Rendering fruitless or ineffectual. [Obs.] "Plunged in that abortive gulf." Milton.
3. 3.Coming to naught; failing in its effect; miscarrying; fruitless; unsuccessful; as, an abortive attempt. "An abortive enterprise." Prescott.
4. 4.(Biol.) Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile; as, an abortive organ, stamen, ovule, etc.
5. 5.(Med.) (a) Causing abortion; as, abortive medicines. Parr. (b) Cutting short; as, abortive treatment of typhoid fever.
6. 6.That which is born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion. [Obs.] Shak.
7. 7.A fruitless effort or issue. [Obs.]
8. 8.A medicine to which is attributed the property of causing abortion. Dunglison.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Related questions

• What does "abortive" mean?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is abortive.

• What is made from the skin of a still-born animal; as, abortive vellum. [Obs.] called?
• What is rendering fruitless or ineffectual. [Obs.] "Plunged in that abortive gulf." Milton called?
• What is coming to naught; failing in its effect; miscarrying; fruitless; unsuccessful; as, an abortive attempt. "An abortive enterprise." Prescott called?
• What is imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile; as, an abortive organ, stamen, ovule, etc called?
• What is (a) Causing abortion; as, abortive medicines. Parr. (b) Cutting short; as, abortive treatment of typhoid fever called?
• What is that which is born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion. [Obs.] Shak called?
• What is a medicine to which is attributed the property of causing abortion. Dunglison called?