different between neutral vs sterile

English

Etymology

From Middle French neutral (compare modern French neutre), from Latin neutralis.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?nju?t??l/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?nu?t??l/, [?nu?t????l]

Adjective

neutral (comparative more neutral, superlative most neutral)

1. Not taking sides in a conflict such as war; nonaligned.
2. Favouring neither the supporting nor opposing viewpoint of a topic of debate; unbiased.
   • 1711, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury, Characteristicks of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times

     The heart can not possibly remain neutral, but constantly takes part one way or the other.

3. (grammar) Neither positive nor negative.
4. Neither beneficial nor harmful.
   • c. 1600, Sir John Davies, The Original, Nature, and Immortality of the Sou

     Some things good, and some things ill, do seem, / And neutral some, in her fantastic eye.
5. (biology) Having no sex; neuter.
6. Having no obvious colour; gray
7. (physics) Neither positive nor negative; possessing no charge or equivalent positive and negative charge such that there is no imbalance.
8. (chemistry) Having a pH of or near 7, neither acidic nor alkaline.

Synonyms

• (neither beneficial nor harmful): innocuous

Derived terms

• carbon-neutral, carbon neutral
• neutral section

Translations

Noun

neutral (plural neutrals)

1. A nonaligned state, or a member of such a state.
2. A person who takes no side in a dispute.
3. An individual or entity serving as an arbitrator or adjudicator.
4. A neutral hue.
5. The position of a set of gears in which power cannot be transmitted to the drive mechanism.
6. An electrical terminal or conductor which has zero or close to zero voltage with respect to the ground.

Translations

Anagrams

• Renault, run late, unalert, unalter

Catalan

Adjective

neutral (masculine and feminine plural neutrals)

1. neutral

Danish

Adjective

neutral

1. neutral

Inflection

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /n????t?a?l/
• Rhymes: -a?l

Adjective

neutral (comparative neutraler, superlative am neutralsten)

1. neutral

Declension

Further reading

• “neutral” in Duden online

Spanish

Alternative forms

• neutro

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /neu?t?al/, [neu??t??al]

Adjective

neutral (plural neutrales)

1. neutral

Swedish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ne???tr??l/

Adjective

neutral

1. neutral
2. (grammar) intransitive

Declension

Related terms

• neutralisera
• neutralitet

References

English

Etymology

From Middle French stérile, from Latin sterilis (“barren, futile”). See also Ancient Greek ?????? (steîra).

Pronunciation

• enPR: st?r??l, st?r??l"
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?st???l/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?st??a?l/
• Rhymes: -???l, -??a?l

Adjective

sterile (comparative more sterile, superlative most sterile)

1. (not comparable) Unable to reproduce (or procreate).
2. (figuratively) Terse; lacking sentiment or emotional stimulation, as in a manner of speaking.
3. (figuratively) Fruitless, uninspiring, or unproductive.
4. Germless; free from all living or viable microorganisms.

5. Free from dangerous objects, as a zone in an airport that can be only be entered via a security checkpoint.
6. (US, military) Of weapons: foreign-made and untraceable to the United States.
   • 1990, Leroy Thompson, The US Army in Vietnam (page 111)

     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.

Synonyms

• (unable to procreate): barren, infertile

Antonyms

• non-sterile, nonsterile
• unsterile

Related terms

• sterilisation / sterilization
• sterilise / sterilize
• sterilised / sterilized
• sterility

Translations

Anagrams

• Leister, leister, reliest, retiles, treiles

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

sterile

1. inflection of steril:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Interlingua

Adjective

sterile (not comparable)

1. sterile

Italian

Etymology

From Latin sterilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?st?.ri.le/

Adjective

sterile (plural sterili)

1. sterile, barren, unprolific, infertile
2. sterile, sterilized (medicine)
3. vain, pointless
4. unproductive

Related terms

• sterilità
• sterilizzato
• sterilizzazione
• sterilizzare
• sterilire

Further reading

• sterile in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Latin

Adjective

sterile

1. nominative neuter singular of sterilis
2. accusative neuter singular of sterilis
3. vocative neuter singular of sterilis

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

sterile

1. definite singular/plural of steril

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

sterile

1. definite singular/plural of steril