abortive

Meanings

1. Produced by abortion; born prematurely and therefore unnatural.
2. Coming to nothing; failing in its effect. .
3. Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile.
4. Causing abortion; abortifacient.
5. Cutting short; acting to halt or slow the progress (of a disease).
6. Having a short and mild progression, without pronounced symptoms.
7. Made from the skin of a still-born animal.

1. Someone or something born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion.
2. A fruitless effort.
3. A medicine that causes abortion, an abortifacient.
4. A medicine or treatment acting to halt or slow the progress of a disease.

1. To cause an abortion; to render without fruit.

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”).