sterile

[ ster-ilor, especially British, -ahyl ]

adjective

1. free from living germs or microorganisms; aseptic:

   Successful operations rely on timely delivery of the sterile surgical instruments needed for each procedure.

2. incapable of producing offspring; not producing offspring.

   Synonyms: unfruitful, infecund

   Antonyms: fertile

3. barren; not producing vegetation:

   Attempts to cultivate the land have failed because of the sterile soil.

   Antonyms: fertile

4. Botany.
   1. noting a plant in which reproductive structures fail to develop.
   2. bearing no stamens or pistils.
5. not productive of results, ideas, etc.; fruitless.
6. lacking vitality, vibrancy, interest, etc.:

   Art can transform an otherwise sterile office into a happy, inspiring, and comforting space.

sterile

/ stɛˈrɪlɪtɪ; ˈstɛraɪl /

adjective

1. unable to produce offspring; infertile
2. free from living, esp pathogenic, microorganisms; aseptic
3. (of plants or their parts) not producing or bearing seeds, fruit, spores, stamens, or pistils
4. lacking inspiration or vitality; fruitless
5. economics (of gold) not being used to support credit creation or an increased money supply

sterile

/ stĕr′əl,stĕr′īl′ /

1. Not able to produce offspring, seeds, or fruit; unable to reproduce.
2. Free from disease-causing microorganisms.

Derived Forms

• ˈsterilely, adverb
• sterility, noun

Other Words From

• ster·ile·ly adverb
• ste·ril·i·ty [st, uh, -, ril, -i-tee], ster·ile·ness noun
• half-ster·ile adjective
• non·ster·ile adjective
• non·ster·ile·ly adverb
• un·ster·ile adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sterile¹

First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin sterilis “barren, unfruitful”

Word History and Origins

Origin of sterile¹

C16: from Latin sterilis

Example Sentences

Complete with 348 items, organized neatly into 20 inner compartments, you’ll get a comprehensive kit including 28 sting relief pads, 10 large sterile gauze pads, and one emergency glow stick.

From Popular-Science

Equipped with 130 items, you’ll get 50 adhesive bandages, an instant cold press, and a sterile eye pad.

From Popular-Science

This decidedly non-invasive diagnostic simply requires a spit sample that can be collected in a sterile container.

From Fortune

They had been home with their families for so long in what can be a socially sterile environment.

From Voice of San Diego

We went from the availability of one dose of the drug in 1941, to four million sterile packages of the drug every month four years later.

From Singularity Hub 

In reality,” Francis said, “theatrical severity and sterile pessimism are often symptoms of fear and insecurity.

From The Daily Beast

Koenig has not been a sterile, objective narrator; she has openly voiced her biases, concerns, and gut feelings all along.

From The Daily Beast

“Nonsterile gloves and sterile obstetric and surgical gloves were depleted or absent in all four counties,” the report reads.

From The Daily Beast

Though she portrays the Gulf Coast city as sterile, she also writes about it as a kind of haven.

From The Daily Beast

Birenbaum-Carmeli also points to technology that means even a near-sterile man can now be assisted to impregnate his wife.

From The Daily Beast

The letter was the swift and desperate sequel to several days' absolutely sterile reflection.

From Project Gutenberg

Human milk is sterile when secreted, but derives a few bacteria from the lacteal ducts.

From Project Gutenberg

Sterile, dissipated and prodigal, she made her husband very unhappy, thus avenging the first Mme. Brunner.

From Project Gutenberg

This country was so cold and sterile and unpropitious that winter predominated, and it was difficult to support life.

From Project Gutenberg

The country which they passed through was sterile in the extreme, and the expedition proved a failure.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• antiseptic
• arid
• barren
• bleak
• desolate
• futile
• hygienic
• impotent
• infertile