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
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.
But Lucas's concern comes with some misleading claims - for example, he told his YouTube audience that men would be infertile in 33 years, which is unsupported by scientific evidence.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
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
Carrillo, 46, had been told by doctors years ago that she was infertile.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2025
After these infernos, invasive grasses often took over in hardened, infertile soils.
From Salon ● Apr. 30, 2025
Only seven weeks after the releases were started, all eggs were infertile.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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