infertile
Americanadjective
adjective
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not capable of producing offspring; sterile
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(of land) not productive; barren
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Not capable of reproducing.
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Not capable of developing into a complete organism, as infertile eggs.
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Relating to soil or land that is not capable of supporting or is unfavorable to the growth of plants.
Other Word Forms
- infertilely adverb
- infertileness noun
- infertility noun
Etymology
Origin of infertile
From the Latin word infertilis, dating back to 1590–1600. See in- 3, fertile
Explanation
Someone who's infertile isn't able to have children. Plants and animals, as well as humans, are sometimes infertile and can't reproduce naturally. People who are trying to have a baby may find they're unable to because one of them is infertile, or not able to conceive. A woman who's infertile may instead be unable to carry a baby to term. Infertile is a French word, from the Latin infertilis, "unfruitful," from the roots in-, "not," and fertilis, "bearing in abundance."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Online sleuthing leads Evy and Justin to a demonic creature that causes miscarriages and stillbirths: Abyzou, the bitter spirit of an infertile woman who visits chaos upon other pregnancies.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026
Sperm donation allows women to become mothers when it might not otherwise be possible - if their partner is infertile, they're in a same-sex relationship, or parenting solo.
From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025
Carrying around little cups of sperm as political protest, to mock infertile people, is most likely a fake scandal, but not being able to have kids easily is rough.
From Slate • Aug. 23, 2024
Vance wouldn't even apologize to the unhappily infertile.
From Salon • Aug. 5, 2024
In contrast, Australia has by far the oldest, most infertile, most nutrient-leached soils of any continent, because of Australia’s little volcanic activity and its lack of high mountains and glaciers.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
