infertile

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adjective in·fer·tile \ (ˈ)in-ˈfər-tᵊl \

Definition of infertile

:not fertile or productive

infertile eggs

infertile fields

; especially :incapable of or unsuccessful in achieving pregnancy

infertile couples

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infertility

play \ˌin-(ˌ)fər-ˈti-lə-tē\ noun

See infertile defined for English-language learners

See infertile defined for kids

Examples of infertile in a Sentence

an infertile cow is of limited use to a farmer
only parched, infertile fields remained after months of drought

Recent Examples of infertile from the Web

But my infertile yearnings, my disastrous pregnancy, did nothing to impart a sense of the sanctity of life.

— joanna petrone, Longreads, "Pregnant, then Ruptured," 18 Aug. 2017
Back in the 1950s, scientists at Sterling Drug, a now-defunct pharmaceutical company, synthesized a class of chemicals that made male rats temporarily infertile.

— emily anthes, Bloomberg.com, "Why We Can’t Have the Male Pill," 3 Aug. 2017
The city will also test the effectiveness of an environmentally safe bait called Contrapest that over time is supposed to make rats infertile.

— kate shepherd, Chicago Reader, "News / Did You Read __________? Judge continues block of Cook County ‘pop tax’ until at least Friday, and other Chicago news," 26 July 2017
A researcher team working to perfect 3D–printed ovaries for infertile women have successfully tested their creation in mice.

— walt bonner, Fox News, "3D-printed ovaries enable infertile mice to give birth," 23 May 2017
After being implantedwith the bioprosthetic ovaries, the previously infertile mothers saw an increase in hormone levels and began to ovulate before successfully conceiving and birthing young.

— dyllan furness, Fox News, "Mice with 3D-printed ovaries give birth to healthy offspring," 19 May 2017
The name comes from a local legend that infertile women who trek through the island's dense forest and bathe in its mystical lake will be able to have children.

— ronan o'connell, CNN, "Langkawi jet ski tours: The coolest way to see Malaysia's most beautiful islands," 10 May 2017
The prescient sci-fi drama, adapted from Margaret Atwood's 1985 dystopian classic, stars Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss as Offred, a woman who is enslaved and forced to bear children for a military commander and his infertile wife.

— patrick ryan, USA TODAY, "Hulu to tell second season of 'Handmaid's Tale,' adds Marvel series," 3 May 2017
Now her mission is to copulate with the Commander, Fred Waterford, while lying in the lap of his infertile wife (Yvonne Strahovski).

— kathryn shattuck, New York Times, "What’s on TV Wednesday: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and ‘Gomorrah’," 26 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'infertile.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of infertile

Middle French, from Late Latin infertilis, from Latin in- + fertilis fertile

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First Known Use: 1597

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infertile Synonyms

Synonyms

barren, fruitless, impotent, sterile, unfruitful

Antonyms

fat, fertile, fruitful

Related Words

altered, desexed, neutered, sterilized; castrated, emasculated, gelded; spayed; unproductive

Near Antonyms

fecund, luxuriant, productive, prolific; enriched, fertilized, rich; impregnated, pregnant; potent; bearing, producing, yielding; blooming, bursting, flourishing, swarming, teeming

INFERTILE Defined for English Language Learners

infertile

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adjective

Definition of infertile for English Language Learners

: not able to reproduce : not able to produce children, young animals, etc.
: not suited for raising crops : unable to support the growth of plants

INFERTILE Defined for Kids

infertile

play

adjective in·fer·tile \ in-ˈfər-tᵊl \

Definition of infertile for Students

:not fertile

infertile soil

Medical Dictionary

infertile

play

adjective in·fer·tile \ (ˈ)in-ˈfərt-ᵊl \

medical Definition of infertile

:not fertile; especially :incapable of or unsuccessful in achieving pregnancy over a considerable period of time (as a year) in spite of determined attempts by heterosexual intercourse without contraception