infertile
UK: ɪnˈfɜːtaɪl | US: ɪnˈfɜːrtl
adj. unable to reproduce or produce offspring
adj. (of land) not capable of sustaining crops or vegetation
adj. lacking creativity or productivity (figurative)
The word "infertile" combines the Latin prefix "in-" (meaning "not") with the root "fertile," derived from Latin "fertilis" (productive, fruitful). "Fertilis" itself comes from "ferre" (to bear or carry), reflecting the idea of bearing fruit or offspring. Over time, "infertile" evolved to describe biological incapacity for reproduction, barren land, and metaphorically, unproductive ideas.
The couple sought medical help after years of being infertile.
The desert's infertile soil makes farming nearly impossible.
Critics dismissed the artist's latest work as intellectually infertile.
Prolonged drought turned the once-fertile valley into an infertile wasteland.
Modern science offers solutions for some forms of infertility.