From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishRelated topics: Birthsterilester‧ile /ˈsteraɪl $ -rəl/ adjective1MBBABY/HAVE A BABYa person or animal that is sterile cannot produce babiesSYN infertileOPP fertilemake/render/leave somebody sterile
Radiotherapy has left her permanently sterile.2CLEANcompletely clean and not containing any bacteria that might cause infectionsterile equipment/water/bandages etc
Rinse the eye with sterile water.► see thesaurus at clean3BORINGlacking new ideas, interest, or imaginationOPP productivesterile argument/debate etc
the increasingly sterile debate on political reform4a sterile building, room etc is not interesting or attractive and is often very plain
The classrooms are sterile, with no artwork on the walls.5TAsterile land cannot be used to grow cropsSYN barren —sterility /stəˈrɪləti/ noun [uncountable]Examples from the Corpussterile• This does not, however, render the question of social origins of state personnel, such as bureaucrats, sterile.• Some women who used the birth control device became sterile.• Susan thought that her illness had made her sterile.• RedCross officials say they are running short of disinfectant and sterilebandages.• The floors of old-growthforeststend to be fairly sterile because overheadcanopies of leaves prevent light from reaching the ground.• There are even sterile controls for the piped music.• a sterilelaboratory• a sterile, meaninglessrelationship• They are native to dry and sterileregions.• a group of sterileskyscrapers• It lost to a politicized plan, which resulted in the steriletowers and hiddenplazas that now markBunkerHill.• Giving blood is perfectly safe. All equipment is sterile, used once and thrown away.• In a sterile world casein would be nearly an idealglue.sterile equipment/water/bandages etc• Aseptictechniquesrequiresterile equipment. 8.sterile argument/debate etc• Legaltheory has long been bedevilled by a sterile debate between positivists and naturallawyers.• This threatens to become a sterile debate, but there are ways to make progress.• Roy Hattersley's simultaneousresignation as deputyleader also opens up the increasingly sterile debate on constitutionalreform.Originsterile(1400-1500)Latinsterilis
