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Sterile vs Autocide - What's the difference?

sterile | autocide |

As an adjective sterile

is unable to reproduce (or procreate).

As a noun autocide is

control of a pest through propagation of sterile males.

sterile

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (uncomparable) Unable to reproduce (or procreate).
  • .
  • ; free from all living or viable microorganisms.

    • Synonyms

    * (unable to procreate) barren, infertile

    Related terms

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

    Anagrams

    * ----

    autocide

    English

    Etymology 1

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (agriculture) Control of a pest through propagation of sterile males
  • * {{quote-book, 1975, Dennis S. Hill, Agricultural Insect Pests of the Tropics and Their Control, page=22, pageurl=http://books.google.com/books?id=_Ls8AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA22, isbn=0521202612, edition=2nd ed.
    • , passage=Generally, autocide is most effective when applied to restricted populations (islands, etc.), but can be effective on parts of continents. }}
  • (bacteriology) A substance produced by a bacterium that is fatal to that bacterium
  • * {{quote-book, 2001, , editors=David R. Boone et al., Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, page=1065, pageurl=http://books.google.com/books?id=9cwgo-9IyTUC&pg=RA2-PA1065&, isbn=0387241450, chapter=Myxococcales
    • , passage=Five different autocides have been isolated from Myxococcus xanthus . }}
  • (obsolete, rare) A suicidal person.

    • Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An act of suicide committed by crashing a car
  • * {{quote-news, 1993, December 13, , Northbridge Educators Alerted to Depression Among Students , Worcester Telegram Gazette citation
    • , passage="Autocide is becoming the second most popular method for older teens to commit suicide," she said. }}