Webster's Dictionary 1913

9694

Sterile

Ster″ile (?), a. [F. stérile, L. sterilis, akin to Gr. στερεόσ stiff, solid, στει̑ροσ barren, στει̑ρα a cow that has not calved, Goth. stairō, fem., barren. See Stare to gaze.] ...

9695

Sterility

Ste‐ril″i‐ty (?), n. [L. sterilitas: cf. F. stérilité.] 1. The quality or condition of being sterile.2. (Biol.) Quality of being sterile; infecundity; also, the state of being f...

9696

Sterilization

Ster′il‐i‐za″tion (?), n.(Biol.) The act or process of sterilizing, or rendering sterile; also, the state of being sterile.

9697

Sterilize

Ster″il‐ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Sterilized (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Sterilizing (?).] [Cf. F. stériliser.] 1. To make sterile or unproductive; to impoverish, as land; to exhaust ...

9698

Sterilizer

Ster″il‐i′zer (?), n. One that sterilizes anything; specif., an apparatus for sterilizing an organic fluid or mixture.

9699

Sterlet

Ster″let (?), n. [Russ. sterliade.] (Zoöl.) A small sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus) found in the Caspian Sea and its rivers, and highly esteemed for its flavor. The finest caviare...

9700

Sterling

Ster″ling (?), n.(Engin.) Same as Starling, 3.

9701

Sterling (2)

Ster″ling, n. [OE. sterlynge, starling, for easterling, LL. esterlingus, probably from Easterling, once the popular name of German trades in England, whose money was of the pure...

9702

Sterling (3)

Ster″ling (?), a. 1. Belonging to, or relating to, the standard British money of account, or the British coinage; as, a pound sterling; a shilling sterling; a penny sterling; — ...

9703

Stern

Stern (?), n. [AS. stearn a kind of bird. See Starling.] (Zoöl.) The black tern.

9704

Stern (2)

Stern, a. [Compar.Sterner (?); superl.Sternest.] [OE. sterne, sturne, AS. styrne; cf. D. stuurish stern, Sw. stursk refractory. √166.] Having a certain hardness or severity of n...

9705

Stern (3)

Stern, n. [Icel. stjōrn a steering, or a doubtful AS. steórn. √166. See Steer, v. t.] 1. The helm or tiller of a vessel or boat; also, the rudder. Chaucer.2. (Naut.) The after o...

9706

Stern (4)

Stern, a. Being in the stern, or being astern; as, the stern davits.Stern board(Naut.), a going or falling astern; a loss of way in making a tack; as, to make a stern board. See...

9707

Stern-wheel

Stern″–wheel′ (?), a. Having a paddle wheel at the stern; as, a stern-wheel steamer.

9708

Stern-wheeler

Stern″–wheel′er (?), n. A steamboat having a stern wheel instead of side wheels.

9709

Sternage

Stern″age (?), n. Stern. Shak.

9710

Sternal

Ster″nal (?), a.(Anat.) Of or pertaining to the sternum; in the region of the sternum.Sternal ribs. See the Note under Rib, n., 1.

9711

Sternbergite

Stern″berg‐ite (?), n. [So named after Count Kaspar Sternberg of Prague.] (Min.) A sulphide of silver and iron, occurring in soft flexible laminæ varying in color from brown to ...

9712

Sternebra

‖Ster″ne‐bra (?), n.; pl.Sternebræ (#). [NL., fr. sternum + -bra of vertebra.] (Anat.) One of the segments of the sternum. — Ster″ne‐bral (#), a.

9713

Sterned

Sterned (?), a. Having a stern of a particular shape; — used in composition; as, square-sterned.

9714

Sterner

Stern″er (?), n. [See 3d Stern.] A director. Dr. R. Clerke.

9715

Sternforemost

Stern′fore″most′ (?), adv. With the stern, instead of the bow, in advance; hence, figuratively, in an awkward, blundering manner.A fatal genius for going sternforemost. Lowell.

9716

Sternite

Ster″nite (?), n. [From Sternum.] (Zoöl.) The sternum of an arthropod somite.

9717

Sternly

Stern″ly (?), adv. In a stern manner.

9718

Sternmost

Stern″most′ (?), a. Farthest in the rear; farthest astern; as, the sternmost ship in a convoy.

9719

Sternness

Stern″ness, n. The quality or state of being stern.

9720

Sterno-

Ster″no– (?). A combining form used in anatomy to indicate connection with, or relation to, the sternum; as, sternocostal, sternoscapular.