"destroy the fertility of," 1690s (in reference to soil), from French stériliser or else from sterile + -ize; of living things from 1828. Meaning "render free of micro-organisms" is from 1878. Related: Sterilized; sterilizing.
in some countries, people with genetically transmissible disabilites are sterilized
stereotyping
sterile
sterilise
sterility
sterilization
sterilize
sterling
stern
Stern gang
Sterno
sternocleidomastoid
