STERILE

adjective Etymology: Middle English steryle, from Latin sterilis; akin to Gothic stairo barren animal, Sanskrit starī ~ cow Date: 15th century 1. failing to bear or incapable of producing fruit or spores, failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring , incapable of germinating , neither perfect nor pistillate, 2. unproductive of vegetation , free from living organisms and especially microorganisms , lacking in stimulating emotional or intellectual quality ; lifeless , ~ly adverb sterility noun