nonreproductive
- adjective
- /ˌnɒnˈriːprəˌdʌktɪv/
- Specialized
- The nonreproductive cells in the human body support vital functions but do not participate in reproduction.
- nonreproductive sex
Examples
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Such nonreproductive copulations may diminish hostility and help to establish and maintain intimacy between females and males.
Academic text (1990) -
The different roles of the reproductive mother and her nonreproductive offspring are not genetically determined.
Academic text (2008) -
According to Rubin, sexual relations are seen as bad when there are significant age gaps between partners and when the nature of the relation is nonreproductive, such as sex for pleasure alone.
Academic text (2007) -
As reproductive activity ends each season, the glands regress; few are present during the nonreproductive season.
Academic text (1993) -
It remains to be studied whether babysitting and mutual warming incur costs for the involved animals and whether nonreproductive individuals, which are often present in the colonies, participate in them.
Academic text (2008) -
Eusociality, the care across generations of the offspring of a reproductive caste by a nonreproductive or less reproductive worker caste, is the most advanced level of social life in insects.
Academic text (2008) -
In a honeybee colony, the nonreproductive workers help gather food and maintain the hive.
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During the winter, many animals enter a nonreproductive state, conserving energy until warmer months return.
Synonyms
Not able to have babies or other young
Unable to have babies or make seeds
Not able to have children or young
Unable to have babies or make seeds
A period when animals do not have babies
Antonyms
How Reproductive
Surface Forms
Morphology
nonreproductive = reproductive (transparent) = non + reproduce + ive
The negative prefix 'non-' straightforwardly negates the adjective 'reproductive', yielding the expected meaning 'not reproductive'.
Etymology
Nonreproductive comes from non- meaning 'not' and reproduce, which has re- 'again' plus produce 'to make'. So nonreproductive means 'not making offspring' or not involved in making young.