Word a Day
sterile
What does sterile mean?
sterile (adjective): germless; free from all living or viable microorganisms.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you use sterile in a sentence?
- A sterile operating area. (Princeton WordNet 3.1)
How do you pronounce sterile?
/ˈstɛɹəl/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does sterile come from?
From Middle French stérile, from Latin sterilis (“barren, futile”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Words related to sterile
From Princeton WordNet 3.1.
Test yourself: do you know “sterile”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “sterile” mean?
refined and tasteful in appearance or behavior or style
Not quite: that's what elegant means.
germless; free from all living or viable microorganisms
Right! That's what “sterile” means.
being between two extremes, or in the middle of a range
Not quite: that's what intermediate means.
marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful
Not quite: that's what humble means.
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