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First attested in 1382, with the meaning "causing stillbirth or miscarriage". From Middle English, from Old French abortif,[1] from Latin abortīvus (causing abortion), from aborior (miscarry, disappear), from ab (amiss) + orīor (appear, be born, arise)[2].



abortive (comparative more abortive, superlative most abortive)

  1. (obsolete) Produced by abortion; born prematurely. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid 18th century.][1]
    an abortive child
  2. Coming to naught; failing in its effect; miscarrying; fruitless; unsuccessful. [First attested in the late 16th century.][1]
    an abortive attempt
    • 1799 edition, John Milton, Paradise Lost:
      [] and with utter loss of being
      Threatens him, plung'd in that abortive gulf.
    • (Can we date this quote?), William H. Prescott
      An abortive enterprise.
  3. (biology) Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile. [First attested in the mid 18th century.][1]
    an abortive organ
    an abortive stamen
    an abortive ovule
  4. (medicine, rare, attributive) Causing abortion; abortifacient
    abortive medicines
  5. (medicine) Cutting short; acting to halt or slow the progress (of a disease).
    abortive treatment of typhoid fever
  6. Made from the skin of a still-born animal.
    abortive vellum


Derived terms[edit]


abortive (plural abortives)

  1. (obsolete) That which is born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion. [Attested from around (1150 to 1350) until the mid 18th century.][1]
    • "Thou elvish-mark'd, abortive, rooting hog!" - Shakespeare, Richard III, I-iii
  2. (obsolete) A fruitless effort or issue. [Attested from the early 17th century until the early 18th century.][1]
  3. (obsolete) A medicine to which is attributed the property of causing abortion, abortifacient.




abortive (third-person singular simple present abortives, present participle abortiving, simple past and past participle abortived)

  1. (transitive, obsolete) To cause an abortion; to render without fruit. [Attested only in the 17th century.][1]





abortive f

  1. feminine form of abortif



abortive f pl

  1. feminine plural of abortivo





  1. vocative masculine singular of abortīvus