What is the Latin word for sterile?

The usual Latin words for “sterile” are īnfēcundus, sterilis, opīmus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“sterile” in Latin

īnfēcundusunfruitful, infertile sterilisbarren, sterile; unprofitable, futile opīmusfat, rich, plump, corpulent; fertile, fruitful (land)

The English word sterile itself goes back to Latin sterilis.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

sterile

infecundus (in reference to procreative power, also of the soil; opposed to fecundus): sterilis (in reference to productive power, that bears no fruit; also of the soil, of the year; opposed to fertilis and [in reference to soil] opimus: figuratively, in reference to the female sex).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for sterile?: The usual Latin words for “sterile” are īnfēcundus, sterilis, opīmus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.