abortive
pronunciation
How to pronounce abortive in British English:
UK [əˈbɔːtɪv]
How to pronounce abortive in American English:
US [əˈbɔːrtɪv]
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- Adjective:
- failing to accomplish an intended result
Word Origin
- abortive (adj.)
- late 14c., "born prematurely or dead," from Latin abortivus "pertaining to miscarriage; causing abortion," from abort-, past participle stem of aboriri "disappear, miscarry," from ab- "amiss" (see ab-) + oriri "appear, be born, arise" (see orchestra); the compound word used in Latin for deaths, miscarriages, sunsets, etc. The Latin verb for "to produce an abortion" was abigo, literally "to drive away." Not originally used to imply forced or deliberate miscarriage; from 14c.-18c. stillborn children or domestic animals were said to be abortive. Also see abortion. Related: Abortiveness.
Example
- 1. The air cargo deal follows an earlier abortive bid for a stake in a start-up airline .
- 2. In a reversal of the abortive 2005 bid for us oil major unocal , chinese buyers are willing to settle for minority stakes .
- 3. A full bid would cost double chinalco 's abortive rio investment plan .
- 4. Even after this long passage of time , kissinger carefully refers to the drama as being " reportedly an abortive coup . "
- 5. Since last year , china has refused to talk to america about human rights , in protest against america 's decision to sponsor an abortive attempt to have china censured at the un human rights commission in geneva .