stérile

sterile

adjective stay-REEL Rare

Origin: Latin sterilis (barren)

Also means

futile

Usage Note

Stérile is invariable in gender — the same form is used for both masculine and feminine nouns. It describes both medical sterility (unable to reproduce, or free of germs) and figurative futility: un débat stérile is 'a fruitless debate'. The noun form is stérilité; the verb stériliser means 'to sterilise'.

Examples

"Ce débat me semble complètement stérile."

Natural Translation

This debate seems completely futile to me.

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