a. [ OE. barein, OF. brehaing, fem. brehaigne, baraigne, F. bréhaigne; of uncertain origin; cf. Arm. brékhañ, markhañ, sterile; LL. brana a sterile mare, principally in Aquitanian and Spanish documents; Bisc. barau, baru, fasting. ] 1. Incapable of producing offspring; producing no young; sterile; -- said of women and female animals. [ 1913 Webster ] She was barren of children. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Not producing vegetation, or useful vegetation; sterile. “Barren mountain tracts.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Unproductive; fruitless; unprofitable; empty. [ 1913 Webster ] Brilliant but barren reveries. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ] Some schemes will appear barren of hints and matter. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. Mentally dull; stupid. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
Barren flower, a flower which has only stamens without a pistil, or which has neither stamens nor pistils. --
Barren Grounds (Geog.), a vast tract in British America northward of the forest regions. --
Barren Ground bear (Zool.), a peculiar bear, inhabiting the Barren Grounds, now believed to be a variety of the brown bear of Europe. --
Barren Ground caribou (Zool.), a small reindeer (Rangifer Grœnlandicus) peculiar to the Barren Grounds and Greenland. [ 1913 Webster ]
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