in·fer·tile

[in-fur-tl or, esp. British, -tahyl]
adjective
not fertile; unproductive; sterile; barren: infertile soil.
Origin:
1590–1600; < Latin infertilis. See in-3, fertile

Related forms
in·fer·tile·ly, adverb
in·fer·til·i·ty, in·fer·tile·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
infertile (ɪnˈfɜːtaɪl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—adj
1.  not capable of producing offspring; sterile
2.  (of land) not productive; barren
 
in'fertilely
 
—adv
 
infertility
 
—n

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infertile (ɪnˈfɜːtaɪl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—adj
1.  not capable of producing offspring; sterile
2.  (of land) not productive; barren
 
in'fertilely
 
—adv
 
infertility
 
—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

infertile in·fer·tile (ĭn-fûr'tl)
adj.
Incapable of producing offspring; sterile.

infertility in·fer·til·i·ty (ĭn'fər-tĭl'ĭ-tē)
n.

  1. Absent or diminished fertility.

  2. The persistent inability to achieve conception and produce an offspring.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
infertile   (ĭn-fûr'tl)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. Not capable of reproducing.

  2. Not capable of developing into a complete organism, as infertile eggs.

  3. Relating to soil or land that is not capable of supporting or is unfavorable to the growth of plants.


infertility   (ĭn'fər-tĭl'ĭ-tē)  Pronunciation Key 
The inability to achieve conception after persistent attempts over a given period of time, usually one year in humans.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

infertility

the inability of a couple to conceive and reproduce. Infertility is defined as the failure to conceive after one year of regular intercourse without contraception or the inability of a woman to carry a pregnancy to a live birth. Infertility can affect either the male or the female and can result from a number of causes. About 1 in every 10 couples is infertile, or somewhere between 10 and 15 percent of the population

Learn more about infertility with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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Example sentences
And as far as treatment for infertility is concerned, the odds are that there
  would be other ways of overcoming the problem.
The result: inbreeding, which scientists believe cause genetic defects and
  infertility.
Infertility may be the only symptom, and the infection may progress silently
  for years.
Stress and depression are common among couples dealing with infertility.
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