<B>stereotype, </B>noun, verb, <B>-typed,</B> <B>-typing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a method or process of printing in which a solid plate, usually of type metal, is cast from a mold of composed type; stereotypy. The mold, of papier-mache, plastic, or rubber, is taken from the surface of a form of type, and the printing is done from the plate instead of the form. <DD><B> 2. </B>a printing plate cast from a mold. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) a fixed form, expression, character, or image; something stereotyped; conventional type. Long John Silver, in Stevenson's <I>Treasure Island,</I> is the stereotype of a pirate. <BR> <I>Ex. Its [a play's] villains are often more stereotypes than people (Wall Street Journal). Today we know that each immigrant's worth is best judged by personal qualities and skills, not by group stereotypes (New York Times).</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to make a stereotype of. <DD><B> 2. </B>to print from stereotypes. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) to give a fixed or settled form to. noun <B>stereotyper.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="stereotyped">
<B>stereotyped, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>cast in the form of, or printed from, a stereotype. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) fixed or settled in form; conventional. <BR> <I>Ex. stereotyped characters in a novel. "It gives me great pleasure to be with you tonight" is a stereotyped opening for a speech.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="stereotypic">
<B>stereotypic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or relating to stereotype. </DL>
<A NAME="stereotypical">
<B>stereotypical, </B>adjective. <B>=stereotypic.</B> <I>Ex. (Figurative.) In her passionate rejection of all stereotypical thinking she has, in fact, become something of a stereotype herself (Mary Lowrey Ross).</I> adv. <B>stereotypically.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="stereotypicality">
<B>stereotypicality, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the quality or state of being stereotypic. <BR> <I>Ex. (Figurative.) These magazines are boring in their inevitable stereotypicality of regimented subject matter (London Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="stereotypy">
<B>stereotypy, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the process of making stereotype plates. <DD><B> 2. </B>the process of printing from stereotype plates. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) persistence as of a fixed or stereotyped idea or mode of action, as in certain types of insanity. </DL>
<A NAME="steric">
<B>steric, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Chemistry.) of or having to do with the arrangement in space of the atoms in a molecule. adv. <B>sterically.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="sterical">
<B>sterical, </B>adjective. <B>=steric.</B></DL>
<A NAME="sterigma">
<B>sterigma, </B>noun, pl. <B>-mata.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a ridge extending down a stem below the point of attachment of a decurrent leaf. <DD><B> 2. </B>a stalk or filament bearing a spore in a fungus. <DD><B> 3. </B>a branch or outgrowth of a basidium. </DL>
<A NAME="sterigmatic">
<B>sterigmatic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having to do with or like a sterigma. </DL>
<A NAME="sterilant">
<B>sterilant, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a chemical or other agent that sterilizes, such as a chemical that destroys an insect's ability to reproduce. </DL>
<A NAME="sterile">
<B>sterile, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>free from living germs or microorganisms. <BR> <I>Ex. The nurse kept the surgeon's instruments sterile.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>not producing seed, offspring, or crops; not fertile; barren; unproductive. <BR> <I>Ex. a sterile cow. Desert soil is usually sterile.</I> (SYN) infertile. <DD><B> 3a. </B>not bearing fruit or spores. <BR> <I>Ex. a sterile plant.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>producing only stamens, or producing neither stamens nor pistils. <BR> <I>Ex. a sterile flower.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>(Figurative.) <DD><B> a. </B>not producing results. <BR> <I>Ex. sterile hopes.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>mentally or spiritually barren. <BR> <I>Ex. verbal logic drawing sterile conclusions from untested authority (John Morley).</I> adv. <B>sterilely.</B> </DL>
<B>sterility, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ties.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> sterile condition or character; barrenness. </DL>
<A NAME="sterilizable">
<B>sterilizable, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> capable of being sterilized. </DL>
<A NAME="sterilization">
<B>sterilization, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the act or operation of sterilizing. <BR> <I>Ex. the sterilization of dishes by boiling them.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>condition of being sterilized. </DL>
<A NAME="sterilize">
<B>sterilize, </B>transitive verb, <B>-lized,</B> <B>-lizing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to make free from living germs or microorganisms, as by heating or otherwise. <BR> <I>Ex. By boiling the water we sterilized it, making it fit to drink.</I> (SYN) disinfect, purify. <DD><B> 2. </B>to deprive of fertility; make incapable of producing offspring by removing the organs of reproduction or by the inhibition of their function. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) to make unproductive, unprofitable, or useless. </DL>
<A NAME="sterilizer">
<B>sterilizer, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any device for killing germs or microorganisms, such as a vessel containing boiling water, with or without disinfecting liquids, through which live steam may be passed to kill the germs. </DL>
<A NAME="sterlet">
<B>sterlet, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a small sturgeon especially of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea, highly esteemed for its flavor and for the superior caviar from its roe. </DL>
<A NAME="sterling">
<B>sterling, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>containing 92.5 per cent pure silver; of standard quality for silver. <I>Sterling</I> is stamped on solid silver knives, forks, and the like. <DD><B> 2. </B>made of sterling silver. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) genuine; reliable; excellent; dependable. <BR> <I>Ex. Everyone admires our doctor's sterling character.</I> (SYN) sound. <DD><B> 4. </B>of British money; payable in British money. <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>sterling silver or things made of it. <DD><B> 2a. </B>British money, especially the pound as the standard British monetary unit in international trade. <BR> <I>Ex. to pay in sterling.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>the standard of fineness for silver or gold coin in Great Britain, that of silver being .500 at present, and that for gold .9166. Since 1946 British coins are made of a cupronickel alloy. (Abbr:) stg. <DD><B> 3. </B>(in Australia) persons born in Great Britain or Ireland. adv. <B>sterlingly.</B> noun <B>sterlingness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="sterlingarea">
<B>sterling area,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a group of countries in the Commonwealth of Nations, certain dependent territories, and other countries that use the British pound sterling as the unit of currency in foreign trade. <BR> <I>Ex. Canada, being in the dollar area, is outside the sterling area.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="sterlingbloc">
<B>sterling bloc,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a group of countries that have adjusted their currencies and foreign exchange in accordance with the value of the British pound sterling. </DL>
<A NAME="sterlingsilver">
<B>sterling silver,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> solid silver; silver that is 92.5 per cent pure (the original British standard of fineness for silver coin). </DL>
<A NAME="stern">
<B>stern</B> (1), adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>severe; strict; harsh. <BR> <I>Ex. a stern master, a stern religion. His stern frown frightened the children.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>not yielding; hard; firm. <BR> <I>Ex. stern necessity, stern reality. ... ambition should be made of sterner stuff (Shakespeare).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) forbidding in nature or aspect; grim. <BR> <I>Ex. a stern climate, stern mountains. a stern and rock-bound coast (Felicia D. Hemans).</I> adv. <B>sternly.</B> noun <B>sternness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="stern">
<B>stern</B> (2), noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>the rear part of a ship or boat, beginning where the sides curve inward. <DD><B> 2. </B>the rear part of an aircraft. <DD><B> 3a. </B>the buttocks. <DD><B> b. </B>the hinder part of any creature. <DD><I>adj. </I> of, at, or having to do with the stern. </DL>
<A NAME="sternal">
<B>sternal, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of or having to do with the breastbone or sternum. <DD><B> 2. </B>in the region of the sternum. </DL>
<A NAME="sternboard">
<B>stern board,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Nautical.) a backward motion of a vessel. </DL>
<A NAME="sterncastle">
<B>sterncastle, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a high structure at the stern of a caravel, cog, or similar vessel. </DL>
<A NAME="sternchase">
<B>stern chase,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a chase in which the pursuing ship is directly following in the wake of another. </DL>
<A NAME="sternchaser">
<B>stern chaser,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a gun in the stern of a ship for protection against an enemy ship following in its wake. </DL>
<B>-sterned,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (combining form.) having a ______stern. <BR> <I>Ex. A high-sterned vessel = a vessel having a high stern.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="sternersex">
<B>sterner sex,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the male sex; men as a group. <BR> <I>Ex. There are some very skilled embroiderers among members of the sterner sex who are not in the least effeminate (London Times).</I> </DL>
<B>sternine, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or like a tern; belonging to a subfamily of birds including the terns. </DL>
<A NAME="sternite">
<B>sternite, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Zoology.) the ventral part of each segment of the body of an insect or other arthropod. </DL>
<A NAME="sternknee">
<B>stern knee,</B> <B>=sternson.</B></DL>
<A NAME="sternmost">
<B>sternmost, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>nearest the stern. <DD><B> 2. </B>farthest in the rear. </DL>
<A NAME="sternoclavicular">
<B>sternoclavicular, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of, having to do with, or connecting the breastbone (sternum) and clavicle. </DL>
<A NAME="sternocleidomastoid">
<B>sternocleidomastoid, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> connecting the breastbone (sternum), the clavicle, and the mastoid process of the temporal bone (applied to each of two muscles of the neck that serve to turn and nod the head). </DL>
<A NAME="sternocostal">
<B>sternocostal, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of, having to do with, or connecting the sternum and the ribs. </DL>
