Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Sterile \Ster"ile\, a. [F. st['e]rile, L. sterilis, akin to Gr.
   stereo`s stiff, solid, stei^ros barren, stei^ra a cow that
   has not calved, Goth. stair[=o], fem., barren. See {Stare} to
   gaze.]
   1. Producing little or no crop; barren; unfruitful;
      unproductive; not fertile; as, sterile land; a sterile
      desert; a sterile year.

   2. (Biol.)
      (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.
      (b) Free from reproductive spores or germs; as, a sterile
          fluid.

   3. Fig.: Barren of ideas; destitute of sentiment; as, a
      sterile production or author.

Source : WordNet®

sterile
     adj 1: incapable of reproducing; "an infertile couple" [syn: {unfertile},
             {infertile}] [ant: {fertile}]
     2: free of or using methods to keep free of pathological
        microorganisms; "a sterile operating area"; "aseptic
        surgical instruments"; "aseptic surgical techniques" [syn:
         {aseptic}]
     3: deficient in originality or creativity; lacking powers of
        invention; "a sterile ideology lacking in originality";
        "unimaginative development of a musical theme";
        "uninspired writing" [syn: {unimaginative}, {uninspired},
        {uninventive}]