the flower is sterile
If a sterile field becomes "contaminated" with a sterile solution, the field remains sterile.
sterile gloves
No it's not sterile
sterile
This definition is only one or the other. Either sterile or non-sterile. There is no such thing as partially sterile.
Sterile is clean and clean is sterile, so both
Are mucous membranes sterile
sterile
The healthy human lung is sterile
One is guaranteed to have no microorganisms on it inside the sterile packaging, the other is clean but is not guaranteed to have no microorganisms on it.
sterile gloves are clean never before used gloves, while non-sterile gloves have been used but are clean