- (a.) Incapable of reproduction; unfitted for reproduction of offspring; not able to germinate or bear fruit; unfruitful; as, a sterile flower, which bears only stamens.
- (a.) Free from reproductive spores or germs; as, a sterile fluid.
- (a.) Producing little or no crop; barren; unfruitful; unproductive; not fertile; as, sterile land; a sterile desert; a sterile year.
- (a.) Fig.: Barren of ideas; destitute of sentiment; as, a sterile production or author.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). sterile. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/sterile/definitions/2066359 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "sterile" http://smartdefine.org/sterile/definitions/2066359 (accessed September 24, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, sterile, Smart Define, viewed 24 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/sterile/definitions/2066359>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "sterile" 28 May 2011. Web. 24 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/sterile/definitions/2066359> |