sterile

adjective

ster·​ile ˈster-əl 

chiefly British

-ˌī(-ə)l 

1

a

: failing to bear or incapable of producing fruit or spores

b

: failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring

a sterile hybrid

c

: incapable of germinating

sterile spores

d

of a flower : neither perfect nor pistillate

2

a

: unproductive of vegetation

a sterile arid region

b

: free from living organisms and especially pathogenic microorganisms

a sterile syringe

c

: lacking in stimulating emotional or intellectual quality : lifeless

a sterile work of art

sterilely

ˈster-ə(l)-lē 

chiefly British -ˌī(-ə)(l)-lē

adverb

sterility

stə-ˈri-lə-tē 

noun

Synonyms of sterile

• barren
• sterilized

Examples of sterile in a Sentence

a sterile dressing for a wound

sterile couples sometimes choose to adopt needy children

Recent Examples on the Web

The action sequences, meanwhile, are bloody but sterile and neat in a way that undermines the film’s wannabe grindhouse efforts. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026

Earlier this year, an open letter from agency leadership warned against using federal funds to buy harm reduction supplies like sterile syringes and pipes, or to distribute test strips for common drug supply contaminants. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026

Specs AccordionItemContainerButton Minimalist and cozy are two words that come to mind when describing the Zixuan daybed, which has a clean silhouette but doesn’t feel sterile thanks to its plump pillows. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2026

Even offspring that survive are usually sterile and have no way of passing on the extra DNA. — Carrie Arnold contributing, Quanta Magazine, 2 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English steryle, from Latin sterilis; akin to Goth stairo barren animal, Sanskrit starī sterile cow

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sterile

• male-sterile
• self-sterile

Rhymes for sterile

• beryl
• feral
• karel
• peril
• seral
• sterol
• carbaryl
• glyceryl
• imperil
• foraminiferal
• tocopherol

Kids Definition

sterile

adjective

ster·​ile ˈster-əl 

1

: not able to produce fruit, crops, or offspring : not fertile

sterile soil

2

: free from microscopic living things and especially germs (as bacteria and viruses)

a sterile dressing for a wound

sterility

stə-ˈril-ət-ē 

noun

Medical Definition

sterile

adjective

ster·​ile

ˈster-əl, chiefly British -ˌīl

1

: failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring

a sterile hybrid

compare infertile

2

: free from living organisms and especially microorganisms

a sterile syringe

a sterile cyst

sterilely

-əl-(l)ē 

adverb

sterility

stə-ˈril-ət-ē 

noun

plural sterilities