sterile

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Birth

ster·ile /ˈsteraɪl $ -rəl/ adjective  1  MBBABY/HAVE A BABYa person or animal that is sterile cannot produce babies 不能生育的，不育的 SYN infertile OPP fertilemake/render/leave somebody sterile Radiotherapy has left her permanently sterile. 放射疗法造成她终身不育。2  CLEANcompletely clean and not containing any bacteria that might cause infection 无菌的，消过毒的sterile equipment/water/bandages etc Rinse the eye with sterile water. 用消过毒的水冲洗眼睛。► see thesaurus at clean3  BORINGlacking new ideas, interest, or imagination 刻板的，缺乏新意[想象力]的 OPP productivesterile argument/debate etc the increasingly sterile debate on political reform 有关政治改革的越来越俗套的辩论4  a sterile building, room etc is not interesting or attractive and is often very plain 〔建筑、房间等〕呆板的，乏味的 The classrooms are sterile, with no artwork on the walls. 这些教室毫无生气，墙上一张画都没有。5. TAsterile land cannot be used to grow crops 〔土地〕贫瘠的，不能种庄稼的 SYN barren —sterility /stəˈrɪləti/ noun [uncountable]

Examples from the Corpus

sterile• This does not, however, render the question of social origins of state personnel, such as bureaucrats, sterile.• Some women who used the birth control device became sterile.• Susan thought that her illness had made her sterile.• Red Cross officials say they are running short of disinfectant and sterile bandages.• The floors of old-growth forests tend to be fairly sterile because overhead canopies of leaves prevent light from reaching the ground.• There are even sterile controls for the piped music.• During the sterile Eighties, we overdosed on design and killed freedom of expression.• a sterile laboratory• a sterile, meaningless relationship• They are native to dry and sterile regions.• a group of sterile skyscrapers• It lost to a politicized plan, which resulted in the sterile towers and hidden plazas that now mark Bunker Hill.• Giving blood is perfectly safe. All equipment is sterile, used once and thrown away.• In a sterile world casein would be nearly an ideal glue.sterile equipment/water/bandages etc• Aseptic techniques require sterile equipment. 8.sterile argument/debate etc• One can debate whether gatherings after Constantinople or after Trent have been ecumenical, but it is a sterile argument.• Legal theory has long been bedevilled by a sterile debate between positivists and natural lawyers.• This threatens to become a sterile debate, but there are ways to make progress.• Roy Hattersley's simultaneous resignation as deputy leader also opens up the increasingly sterile debate on constitutional reform.Origin sterile (1400-1500) Latin sterilis

ster·ile adjectiveChineseSyllable  

animal person sterile that is Corpus cannot a or

sterile
ster‧ile /ˈsteraɪl $ -rəl/ adjective1. a person or animal that is sterile cannot produce babies
   SYN  infertile
   OPP  fertile
    make/render/leave somebody sterile
    Radiotherapy has left her permanently sterile.
2. completely clean and not containing any bacteria that might cause infection
    sterile equipment/water/bandages etc
    Rinse the eye with sterile water.
3. lacking new ideas, interest, or imagination
   OPP  productive
    sterile argument/debate etc
    the increasingly sterile debate on political reform
4. a sterile building, room etc is not interesting or attractive and is often very plain:
    The classrooms are sterile, with no artwork on the walls.
5. sterile land cannot be used to grow crops
   SYN  barren
—sterility /stəˈrɪləti, stəˈrɪlɪti/ noun [uncountable]
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ clean without any dirt or marks: They need clean water to drink. | I don’t have any clean clothes.
   ▪ pure water or air that is pure does not contain any dirt, pollution, or bacteria: I breathed in the pure mountain air.
   ▪ sterile /ˈsteraɪl $ -rəl/ completely clean, with no bacteria, and therefore safe for medical or scientific use: Place a sterile bandage on the wound. | sterile needles
   ▪ spotless completely clean – used mainly about rooms and clothes: Her kitchen is always spotless.
   ▪ pristine /ˈprɪstiːn/ completely clean and new-looking: He wore a pristine white shirt.
   ▪ immaculate as clean and tidy as it is possible to be: The soldiers’ uniforms have to be immaculate.
   ▪ spick and span [not before noun] informal clean and tidy, especially after having just been cleaned: By the end of the day, the whole place was spick and span.

ster·ileBrE /ˈsteraɪl/ 🔊NAmE /ˈsterəl/ 🔊 adjective(of humans or animals 人或动物) not able to produce children or young animals 不能生育的；不育的 SYN infertile  ➡  compare fertile completely clean and free from bacteria 无菌的；消过毒的◆sterile bandages消毒绷带◆sterile water消过毒的水(of a discussion, an argument, etc. 讨论、争论等) not producing any useful result 无结果的；没有实际价值的 SYN fruitless ◆a sterile debate没有结果的辩论lacking individual personality, imagination or new ideas 刻板的；无个性的；缺乏新意的◆The room felt cold and sterile. 那房间让人觉得阴冷而没有生气。🔊🔊◆He felt creatively and emotionally sterile. 他感觉自己既缺乏创意又没有充沛的感情。🔊🔊(of land 土地) not good enough to produce crops 贫瘠的▸ ster·il·ity BrE /stəˈrɪləti/ 🔊NAmE /stəˈrɪləti/ 🔊 noun [uncountable] ◆The disease can cause sterility in men and women. 这种疾病可能导致男女不育。🔊🔊◆the meaningless sterility of statistics统计数字的枯燥无味◆She contemplated the sterility of her existence. 她思量着自己空虚无聊的生活。🔊🔊