a. | 1. | Producing little or no crop; barren; unfruitful; unproductive; not fertile; |
2. | (Biol.) Incapable of reproduction; unfitted for reproduction of offspring; not able to germinate or bear fruit; unfruitful; | |
3. | Fig.: Barren of ideas; destitute of sentiment; |
Adj. | 1. | sterile - incapable of reproducing; "an infertile couple" Antonyms: fertile - capable of reproducing |
2. | sterile - free of or using methods to keep free of pathological microorganisms; "a sterile operating area"; "aseptic surgical instruments"; "aseptic surgical techniques" Synonyms: aseptic | |
3. | sterile - deficient in originality or creativity; lacking powers of invention; "a sterile ideology lacking in originality"; "unimaginative development of a musical theme"; "uninspired writing" |