bar·ren / ˈbarən/ • adj. 1. (of land) too poor to produce much or any vegetation. ∎  (of a tree or plant) not producing fruit or seed. ∎  (of a female animal) not pregnant or unable to become so. ∎  showing no results or achievements; unproductive: much of philosophy has been barren.2. (of a place or building) bleak and lifeless: the sports hall turned out to be a rather barren concrete building. ∎  empty of meaning or value: those young heads were stuffed with barren facts. ∎  (barren of) devoid of: the room was barren of furniture.• n. (usu. barrens) a barren tract or tracts of land: crossing the barrens was no easy feat.DERIVATIVES: bar·ren·ness n.

barren A community of few and scattered plants that occupy less than half the available ground area. Barrens occur in the north-eastern United States and within the Arctic tundra where they are typically dominated by a single plant species (e.g. Dryas octopetala, mountain avens); and often a single particle size predominates in the soil. Compare North American lowland coniferous forest and pine barren.

barren A community of few and scattered plants that occupy less than half the available ground area. Barrens occur within the Arctic tundra, typically dominated by a single plant species e.g. Dryas octopetala (mountain avens); and often a single particle size predominates in the soil.

barren incapable of offspring. XIII (barain). — OF. (fem.) barai(g)ne (mod. bréhaigne), of unkn. orig.