Definition of infertile

The word "infertile" has its roots in the Latin language. The Latin word "infertilis" means "unfruitful" or "barren." This Latin word is a combination of "in" (meaning "not" or "without") and "fertilis" (meaning "fruitful" or "able to bear fruit"). The word "fertilis" is derived from the Latin word "ferre," which means "to bear" or "to produce." In this context, "fertilis" originally referred to the ability to produce or bear fruit, but later took on a broader meaning that included the ability to produce or raise offspring. The English word "infertile" entered the language in the 15th century, derived directly from the Latin "infertilis." Initially, the word referred specifically to soil that was unable to produce fruit, but later came to be used to describe human or animal reproductive systems that were unable to produce offspring.