Definition

Not able to produce offspring or support growth; unable to reproduce or sustain life.

Example

The infertile soil made it difficult for plants to grow.

Conversation

Did you hear about the farmer's land?

Yeah, I heard it was infertile this season.

That's a shame; I hope he finds a way to improve it.

Me too, or else he might lose a lot of crops.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Infertile is formed from "in-" (meaning not) and "fertilis" (from Latin, meaning fruitful or productive). The word describes a state of being not able to produce or bear offspring or crops.

Memory Tip

Think of 'not' ('in-') being combined with 'fruitful' ('fertilis') to remember that 'infertile' means unable to produce.

Visually Confused Words