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Definition of unfruitful - 3 dictionary results

un⋅fruit⋅ful

  [uhn-froot-fuhl]
Use unfruitful in a Sentence
–adjective
1. not providing satisfaction; unprofitable: unfruitful efforts.
2. not producing offspring; sterile: an unfruitful marriage.
3. not yielding good crops; infertile: unfruitful acres.
4. not bearing fruit; fruitless; barren: an unfruitful tree.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME; see un- 1 , fruitful

Related forms:
un⋅fruit⋅ful⋅ly, adverb
un⋅fruit⋅ful⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. fruitless, unproductive, vain, unrewarding.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To unfruitful
un·fruit·ful   (ŭn-frōōt'fəl)   
adj.  

  1. Not bearing fruit or offspring; barren.

  2. Not productive of a good or useful result.

un·fruit'ful·ly adv., un·fruit'ful·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

unfruitful 
1388, "barren," from un- (1) "not" + fruitful (see fruit). Originally lit.; fig. sense is attested from c.1400.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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