barren
barren (bărʹən) adjective
1. a. Not producing offspring. b. Incapable of producing offspring. See synonyms at sterile.
2. Lacking vegetation, especially useful vegetation.
3. Unproductive of results or gains; unprofitable: barren efforts. See synonyms at futile.
4. Devoid of something specified: writing barren of insight. See synonyms at empty.
5. Lacking in liveliness or interest.
noun
A tract of unproductive land, often with a scrubby growth of trees. Often used in the plural.
[Middle English barreine, from Old French brahaigne, perhaps of Germanic origin.]
barʹrenly adverb
barʹrenness noun