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   abortive

   /əˈbɔːtɪv/

   adjective

   • 1. failing to produce the intended result: "the rebel officers who led the abortive coup were shot"
   • 2. (of a virus infection) failing to produce symptoms.
   • ▪ (of an organ or organism) rudimentary; arrested in development: dated "abortive medusae"
   • 3. causing or resulting in abortion: rare "abortive techniques"

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

   Derivatives

   • 1. abortively adverb

   Scrabble Points: 13

   • A

     1

   • B

     3

   • O

     1

   • R

     1

   • T

     1

   • I

     1

   • V

     4

   • E

     1

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