Abortive

Etymology
abortivus:, from aborior:. See abort, (verb)

Adjective

 * 1)  Produced by abortion; born prematurely; as an abortive child.
 * 2)  Made from the skin of a still-born animal; as an abortive vellum.
 * 3)  Rendering fruitless or ineffectual.
 * "Plunged in that abortive gulf." - John Milton
 * 1) Coming to naught; failing in its effect; miscarrying; fruitless; unsuccessful; as, an abortive attempt.
 * An abortive enterprise. - William H. Prescott
 * 1)  Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile; as, an abortive organ, stamen, ovule, etc.
 * 2)  Causing abortion; as, abortive medicines. - Parr
 * 3)  Cutting short; as, abortive treatment of typhoid fever.

Synonyms for Abortive
vain, useless, ineffective, futile, fruitless, miscarrying, ineffectual.

Antonyms for Abortive
effectual, productive, efficacious, successful, fruitful.

Thesaurus
barren; bootless; failed; failing; fruitless; futile; gainless; immature; ineffective; ineffectual; inefficacious; lame; manque; miscarried; miscarrying; nonremunerative; of no effect; otiose; profitless; rewardless; sterile; stickit; stillborn; successless; unavailable; unavailing; unformed; unfortunate; unmatured; unproductive; unprofitable; unremunerative; unrewarding; unripe; unsuccessful; useless; vain

Derived terms

 * abortiveness

Noun

 * 1)  That which is born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion.
 * "Thou elvish-mark'd, abortive, rooting hog!" - Shakespeare, Richard III, I-iii
 * 1)  A fruitless effort or issue.
 * 2)  A medicine to which is attributed the property of causing abortion, abortifacient - Dunglison