sterility
Americannoun
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the fact or condition of being free from living germs or microorganisms.
Perhaps the most critical aspect of packaging is the barrier seal that maintains the sterility of the product.
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the fact or condition of being incapable of producing offspring.
A growing body of studies have linked these foods to birth defects, fertility problems, and sterility.
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the fact or condition of not producing vegetation; barrenness.
Effects of desertification include land degradation, soil sterility and erosion, and loss of biodiversity.
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failure to produce results, ideas, etc.; fruitlessness.
One indication of the sterility of the authors’ approach is the lack of any questions for further study emerging from their 400-page book.
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the quality of lacking vitality, vibrancy, interest, etc..
The sterility of the white decor was counterbalanced with woven accents, pops of color, and an eclectic display of handcrafted finds.
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Botany. the inability, or limited ability, of a plant to produce pollen or ova.
The study showed that high temperatures cause male sterility in rice plants.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sterility
First recorded in 1400–50; from Latin sterilitāt-, stem of sterilitās, equivalent to sterili(s) “barren, unfruitful” + -tās -ty 2 ( def. ); see sterile ( def. )
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.
The settings do not merely suggest sterility but concentrate the mind on the performers’ fascinating countenances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
But what AI does present is a choice between authenticity and convenience, ideas and creative sterility.
From Salon ● Apr. 17, 2026
PPE Medpro's spokesperson claimed that the company itself did not undertake the technical work of liaising with manufacturers in China, including quality control and sterility assurance levels.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2025
Bana was intoxicated by his environment — so much so that he wouldn’t want to go back to the sterility of a soundstage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2025
The shadow of sterility lies over all the bird studies and indeed lengthens to include all living things within its potential range.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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.
