sterile
Valid in Scrabble
- Scrabble points
- 7
- Words With Friends
- 8
- Letters
- 7
/ˈstɛɹaɪl/
See all 2 pronunciations Show less
/ˈstɛɹaɪl/ · /ˈstɛɹəl/
Definition of sterile
7 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included
adj
-
(not-comparable)Unable to reproduce (or procreate).
“According to that Cabaliſticall Dogma: If Abram had not had this Letter [i.e., ה (he)] added unto his Name he had remained fruitleſſe, and without the power of generation: […] So that being ſterill before, he received the power of generation from that meaſure and manſion in the Archetype; and was made conformable unto Binah.”
See all 7 definitions Show less
adj
-
(not-comparable)Unable to reproduce (or procreate).
“According to that Cabaliſticall Dogma: If Abram had not had this Letter [i.e., ה (he)] added unto his Name he had remained fruitleſſe, and without the power of generation: […] So that being ſterill before, he received the power of generation from that meaſure and manſion in the Archetype; and was made conformable unto Binah.”
- (figuratively)Terse; lacking sentiment or emotional stimulation, as in a manner of speaking.
- (figuratively)Fruitless, uninspiring, or unproductive.
-
Germless; free from all living or viable microorganisms.
“a sterile kitchen table”
- Permanently uninhabitable (as in a planet like Earth) to all life, including even microbes.
- Free from dangerous objects, as a zone in an airport that can be only be entered via a security checkpoint.
-
(US)Of weapons: foreign-made and untraceable to the United States.
“An early CIA decision was to bring war surplus in Europe to the United States, rather than let it fall into the hands of left-wing movements. Some of the guns would also, it was reasoned, be useful as "sterile" weapons (foreign-made and untraceable to the United States) to be provided secretly to foreign friends.”
“In addition to this rapid supply system, the US Army Counterinsurgency Support Office on Okinawa helped procure special equipment including rucksacks, special rations for irregular troops, 'sterile' weapons which could not be traced to the USA and other items not procurable through foreign channels.”
Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
Etymology
From Middle French stérile, from Latin sterilis (“barren, futile”). See also Ancient Greek στεῖρα (steîra).
Words you can make from sterile
144 playable · top: LEISTER (7 pts)
Best play leister 7 points7-letter words
1 word6-letter words
14 words5-letter words
39 words- ELITE 5 pts
- ESTER 5 pts
- ISLET 5 pts
- ISTLE 5 pts
- LEERS 5 pts
- LEETS 5 pts
- LIERS 5 pts
- LITER 5 pts
- LITES 5 pts
- LITRE 5 pts
- REELS 5 pts
- REEST 5 pts
- RELET 5 pts
- RELIT 5 pts
- RESET 5 pts
- RESIT 5 pts
- RETIE 5 pts
- RIELS 5 pts
- RILES 5 pts
- RITES 5 pts
- SIREE 5 pts
- SLEET 5 pts
- SLIER 5 pts
- STEEL 5 pts
- STEER 5 pts
- STELE 5 pts
- STERE 5 pts
- STILE 5 pts
- TEELS 5 pts
- TELES 5 pts
- TERES 5 pts
- TERSE 5 pts
- TIERS 5 pts
- TILER 5 pts
- TILES 5 pts
- TIRES 5 pts
- TIRLS 5 pts
- TREES 5 pts
- TRIES 5 pts
4-letter words
47 words- EELS 4 pts
- ELSE 4 pts
- ERST 4 pts
- IRES 4 pts
- ISLE 4 pts
- LEER 4 pts
- LEES 4 pts
- LEET 4 pts
- LEIS 4 pts
- LEST 4 pts
- LETS 4 pts
- LIER 4 pts
- LIES 4 pts
- LIRE 4 pts
- LIST 4 pts
- LITE 4 pts
- LITS 4 pts
- REEL 4 pts
- REES 4 pts
- REIS 4 pts
- REST 4 pts
- RETE 4 pts
- RETS 4 pts
- RIEL 4 pts
- RILE 4 pts
- RISE 4 pts
- RITE 4 pts
- SEEL 4 pts
- SEER 4 pts
- SERE 4 pts
- SILT 4 pts
- SIRE 4 pts
- SITE 4 pts
- SLIT 4 pts
- STIR 4 pts
- TEEL 4 pts
- TEES 4 pts
- TELE 4 pts
- TELS 4 pts
- TIER 4 pts
- TIES 4 pts
- TILE 4 pts
- TILS 4 pts
- TIRE 4 pts
- TIRL 4 pts
- TREE 4 pts
- TRES 4 pts
3-letter words
31 words- EEL 3 pts
- ELS 3 pts
- ERE 3 pts
- ERS 3 pts
- EST 3 pts
- IRE 3 pts
- ITS 3 pts
- LEE 3 pts
- LEI 3 pts
- LET 3 pts
- LIE 3 pts
- LIS 3 pts
- LIT 3 pts
- REE 3 pts
- REI 3 pts
- RES 3 pts
- RET 3 pts
- SEE 3 pts
- SEI 3 pts
- SEL 3 pts
- SER 3 pts
- SET 3 pts
- SIR 3 pts
- SIT 3 pts
- SRI 3 pts
- TEE 3 pts
- TEL 3 pts
- TES 3 pts
- TIE 3 pts
- TIL 3 pts
- TIS 3 pts
2-letter words
11 wordsFind your best play with sterile
See every word you can make from a set of letters that includes sterile, or browse word lists you can mine for high-scoring plays.