male-sterile
|male-ster-ile|
/meɪlˈstɛraɪl/
lacking male fertility (cannot produce functional pollen)
Etymology
'male-sterile' is a compound formed from 'male' + 'sterile'. 'Male' originates from Old French 'masle' (from Latin 'masculus'), where 'masculus' meant 'male'. 'Sterile' originates from Latin 'sterilis', meaning 'barren' or 'unfruitful'.
'male' came into English via Old French 'masle' (from Latin 'masculus'), and 'sterile' came from Latin 'sterilis' through Old French/Medieval Latin into Middle English; the compound 'male-sterile' is a modern English formation used particularly in botanical and genetic contexts.
Individually, 'male' meant 'of the male sex' and 'sterile' meant 'unable to produce offspring'; together as 'male-sterile' the compound has come to be used specifically (especially in botany and breeding) to denote inability to produce functional male gametes (pollen).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
in botany, unable to produce functional male gametes (pollen); describing a plant, line, or flower that lacks male fertility (male sterility).
The male-sterile line was used in hybrid seed production.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 2
more generally, incapable of performing the biological functions of a male (unable to sire offspring due to lack of male reproductive function).
In some experimental crosses, mutant plants were male-sterile but female-fertile.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/19 14:04