Barren — Defs

01 a. Incapable of producing offspring; producing no young; sterile; -- said of women and female animals.

1.
Incapable of producing offspring; producing no young; sterile; -- said of women and female animals.
“She was barren of children.” — Bp. Hall.
2.
Not producing vegetation, or useful vegetation; sterile.
3.
Unproductive; fruitless; unprofitable; empty.
“Brilliant but barren reveries.” — Prescott.

“Some schemes will appear barren of hints and matter.” — Swift.
4.
Mentally dull; stupid.

Phrases & compounds

Barren flower — a flower which has only stamens without a pistil, or which has neither stamens nor pistils.

Barren Grounds — a vast tract in British America northward of the forest regions.

Barren Ground bear — a peculiar bear, inhabiting the Barren Grounds, now believed to be a variety of the brown bear of Europe.

Barren Ground caribou — a small reindeer (Rangifer Grœnlandicus) peculiar to the Barren Grounds and Greenland.

02 n. A tract of barren land.

1.
A tract of barren land.
2.
Elevated lands or plains on which grow small trees, but not timber; as, pine barrens; oak barrens. They are not necessarily sterile, and are often fertile.[Amer.]