abortive — ONAD

abortive /əˈbôrdiv, əˈbɔrdɪv

▸ adjective

1 failing to produce the intended result:

an abortive attempt to overthrow the government.

2 Medicine (of a virus infection) failing to produce symptoms.

▪ dated (of an organ or organism) rudimentary; arrested in development:

abortive medusae.

3 rare causing or resulting in abortion:

abortive techniques.

– DERIVATIVES
abortively

– ORIGIN Middle English (as a noun denoting a stillborn child or animal): via Old French from Latin abortivus, from aboriri ‘miscarry’ (see abort).