---
title: sterile — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «sterile» in the school dictionary: Sterile means completely clean and free from germs (bacteria and viruses): sterile bandages, a sterile operating room. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# sterile

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Sterile, Sterile land, Doctors, nurse, Boiling water, mule · **What happens:** mean, have, make, not grow, use, open · **To what, where:** babies, seeds, crops, dull ideas, sterile gloves, sterile bandage

<!-- .vabout -->
«sterile» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [sterile in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sterile.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sterile means completely clean and free from germs (bacteria and viruses): sterile bandages, a sterile operating room.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sterile:m1:1
# text = Sterile means completely clean and free from germs (bacteria and viruses): sterile bandages, a sterile operating room.
1	Sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	completely	completely	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	clean	clean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	free	free	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	germs	germ	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
9	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	bacteria	bacterium	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	appos	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	viruses	virus	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
15	sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	bandages	bandage	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
19	sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
20	operating	operating	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	compound	_	_
21	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Sterile |  |  |  |  | clean *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sterile means unable to have babies or young, or (of plants) unable to make seeds or fruit.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sterile:m2:1
# text = Sterile means unable to have babies or young, or (of plants) unable to make seeds or fruit.
1	Sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	unable	unable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	babies	baby	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
11	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	13	punct	_	_
15	unable	unable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	xcomp	_	_
18	seeds	seed	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obj	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	fruit	fruit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Sterile |  |  |  |  | unable *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **have** | to-infinitive | Sterile *not said here* | babies |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent baby=Patient |
| 3 | **make** | to-infinitive | Sterile *not said here* | seeds or fruit |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset seed=Product |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sterile land cannot grow crops.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sterile:m3:1
# text = Sterile land cannot grow crops.
1	Sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	grow	grow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	crops	crop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **grow** | can | Sterile land | crops |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location crop=Theme |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sterile also means dull, lifeless, without ideas or warmth: a sterile argument, a sterile room.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sterile:m4:1
# text = Sterile also means dull, lifeless, without ideas or warmth: a sterile argument, a sterile room.
1	Sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	nsubj	_	_
2	also	also	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	dull	dull	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	lifeless	lifeless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	without	without	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	ideas	idea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	warmth	warmth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	argument	argument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Sterile | dull ideas or warmth |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent idea=Topic |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Doctors use sterile gloves during operations.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sterile:x1:1
# text = Doctors use sterile gloves during operations.
1	Doctors	doctor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	gloves	glove	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	during	during	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	operations	operation	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | Doctors | sterile gloves |  |  | during operations |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent glove=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The nurse opened a sterile bandage.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sterile:x2:1
# text = The nurse opened a sterile bandage.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	nurse	nurse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	opened	open	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	bandage	bandage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **open** | past | the nurse | a sterile bandage |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location bandage=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Boiling water can make baby bottles sterile.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sterile:x3:1
# text = Boiling water can make baby bottles sterile.
1	Boiling	boil	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	amod	_	_
2	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	bottles	bottle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **boil** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn cooking-45.3 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | can | Boiling water | baby bottles |  |  |  | sterile *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset bottle=Product |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A mule is usually sterile, so it cannot have foals.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sterile:x4:1
# text = A mule is usually sterile, so it cannot have foals.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mule	mule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
9	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
12	foals	foal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a mule |  |  |  |  | sterile, usually *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **have** | can | mule | foals |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent foal=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The desert soil was sterile and nothing grew.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sterile:x5:1
# text = The desert soil was sterile and nothing grew.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	desert	desert	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	soil	soil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	8	nsubj	_	_
8	grew	grow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the desert soil |  |  |  |  | sterile *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **grow** | past | nothing |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The new office felt sterile, with white walls and no plants.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sterile:x6:1
# text = The new office felt sterile, with white walls and no plants.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	office	office	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	walls	wall	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	12	det	_	_
12	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | past | the new office | sterile white walls and no plants |  |  |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wall=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the lab, keep the dish sterile so no germs grow.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sterile:x7:1
# text = In the lab, keep the dish sterile so no germs grow.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	lab	lab	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	dish	dish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	sterile	sterile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
10	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	11	det	_	_
11	germs	germ	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
12	grow	grow	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | imperative | you *not said here* | the dish |  | the lab |  | sterile *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent dish=Theme in lab=Location |
| 2 | **grow** | present | no germs |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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