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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Barren \Bar"ren\ (b[a^]r"ren), a. [OE. barein, OF. brehaing,
fem. brehaigne, baraigne, F. br['e]haigne; of uncertain
origin; cf. Arm. br['e]kha[~n], markha[~n], 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.
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She was barren of children. --Bp. Hall.
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2. Not producing vegetation, or useful vegetation; sterile.
"Barren mountain tracts." --Macaulay.
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3. Unproductive; fruitless; unprofitable; empty.
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Brilliant but barren reveries. --Prescott.
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Some schemes will appear barren of hints and matter.
--Swift.
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4. Mentally dull; stupid. --Shak.
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{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
Gr[oe]nlandicus}) peculiar to the Barren Grounds and
Greenland.
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Barren \Bar"ren\, n.
1. A tract of barren land.
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2. pl. 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.]
--J. Pickering.
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