sterility
Americannoun
-
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.
-
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.
-
the fact or condition of not producing vegetation; barrenness.
Effects of desertification include land degradation, soil sterility and erosion, and loss of biodiversity.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
Last month a court ruled the company breached a contract to supply medical gowns during the Covid pandemic because they did not meet certification requirements for sterility.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2025
Tracy Long’s project, titled Mamo, questions the sterility and uniformity of prefab design by adding layers of patina, warmth and natural connection to its modular system.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2025
It’s the expansion of commercial and residential properties, the simmering poison of pesticides and herbicides, the near-bald lawns over-mowed to sterility, the noxious blasts of hateful-white LED streetlights.
From Salon ● May 10, 2024
Most recently, drug company Brassica Pharma recalled four eye ointments sold in stores, including Walmart and CVS, after a Food and Drug Administration inspection flagged potential sterility issues.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 6, 2024
But Margaret had been trained as a surgical nurse, which meant sterility was her specialty—it was key to preventing deadly infections in patients in the operating room.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
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.
