abortive

== English == === Etymology === 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”). === Pronunciation === (US) IPA(key): /əˈbɔɹ.tɪv/ (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /əˈbɔː.tɪv/ === Adjective === abortive (comparative more abortive, superlative most abortive) (obsolete) Produced by abortion; born prematurely and therefore unnatural. [c. 1400–mid 1700s] Coming to nothing; failing in its effect. [from late 1500s]. Synonyms: miscarrying, fruitless, unsuccessful, useless (biology) Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile. [from mid 1700s] (medicine, pharmacology, rare) Causing abortion; abortifacient. (medicine) Cutting short; acting to halt or slow the progress (of a disease). (medicine, of a disease) Having a short and mild progression, without pronounced symptoms. Made from the skin of a still-born animal. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Noun === abortive (plural abortives) (obsolete) Someone or something born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion. [Attested from around (1150 to 1350) until the mid 18th century.] (obsolete) A fruitless effort. [Attested from the early 17th century until the early 18th century.] (obsolete) A medicine that causes abortion, an abortifacient. (obsolete) A medicine or treatment acting to halt or slow the progress of a disease. ==== Translations ==== === Verb === abortive (third-person singular simple present abortives, present participle abortiving, simple past and past participle abortived) (transitive, obsolete) To cause an abortion; to render without fruit. [Attested only in the 17th century.] === References === “abortive”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. == French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /a.bɔʁ.tiv/ Homophone: abortives === Adjective === abortive feminine singular of abortif == German == === Pronunciation === === Adjective === abortive inflection of abortiv: strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular strong nominative/accusative plural weak nominative all-gender singular weak accusative feminine/neuter singular == Italian == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /a.borˈti.ve/ Rhymes: -ive Hyphenation: a‧bor‧tì‧ve === Adjective === abortive feminine plural of abortivo === Anagrams === breviato == Latin == === Pronunciation === (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [a.bɔrˈtiː.wɛ] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [a.borˈtiː.ve] === Adjective === abortīve vocative masculine singular of abortīvus == Norwegian Bokmål == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /abɔˈʈiːʋə/, /abɔʁˈtiːʋə/ Rhymes: -iːʋə Hyphenation: ab‧or‧ti‧ve Homophone: abortivet === Adjective === abortive definite singular of abortiv plural of abortiv