I. ˈbarən also ˈber- adjective
( often -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English bareyne, from Old French baraine, feminine of barain, brehaing, probably of non-Indo-European origin; akin to the source of Albanian beronjë sterile
1.
a. : having produced or borne no young : seemingly incapable of pregnancy or reproduction : sterile
spinsters and barren women were not allowed to benefit under wills at all and their loss was the gain of their fruitful sisters — Robert Graves
b. of an animal : not with young : not pregnant at the usual season
c. of a plant : not bearing fruit or seed
d. of land or a region : deficient in producing vegetation : bare , desolate
obtain wretchedly poor crops … from the barren soil immediately round their cabins — Anthony Trollope
e. : producing ore in too small quantities to be commercially profitable
a barren mine
2. : devoid , lacking — used with of
barren of all love — John Keats
a sea barren of seals — Jack London
barren of troublesome conventions and artificialities — Mark Twain
3. : providing little or no aesthetic or intellectual stimulation or gratification : lacking interest, information, or charm
nameless millions performing barren office routines — Edmund Wilson
religion … buried under an even narrower and more barren scholasticism — J.H.Randall
4. : unproductive of results or gain : lacking the intended effect or force : fruitless , unprofitable
a barren conquest which brought him no special repute — John Buchan
a high-sounding but barren title, which gratified the Duke's vanity and signified nothing — J.L.Motley
5. : lacking inspiration or ideas : dull , unresponsive
a dull suspicion in leaden, opaque, and barren minds that wit, brilliancy, and imagination are incompatible with great mental power and solidity of judgment — J.J.Ingalls
Synonyms: see bare , sterile
II. noun
( -s )
1. : a tract of barren land
2. barrens plural : an extent of usually level land that lacks trees, has an inferior growth of trees, or has little vegetation of any kind whether due to natural factors (as climate or poor soil) or to accident (as fire)
covered largely with stunted pine woods — the famous pine barrens — American Guide Series: New Jersey