Lewis & Short

stĕrĭlĭtas, ātis, f. [sterilis], unfruitfulness, barrenness, sterility (class.).

  1. I. Lit.: quae sit vel sterilitas agrorum vel fertilitas futura, Cic. Div. 1, 57, 131; id. Agr. 2, 26, 70: frugum, Vell. 1, 1 fin.: arborum, Plin. 16, 26, 47, § 111: annonae, Col. 2, 10, 1: vitium, id. 3, 10, 15: terrae, Vulg. Thren. 4, 9: fetus exstitit in sterilitate naturae, Cic. Div. 1, 18, 36: mulierum, Plin. 28, 8, 27, § 97: in sterilitatem castrare, id. 18, 14, 36, § 136.
    Plur., Suet. Claud. 18: continuae, Plin. Ep. 10, 8 (24), 5.
    1. * B. Transf.: caelestis sterilitas, weather that causes unfruitfulness, Plin. 18, 29, 69, § 290: sterilitas fortunae, poverty, insufficiency, id. 14, prooem. § 4.
  2. * II. Trop.: in sterilitatem emarcuit (auctoritas), Plin. 15, 29, 36, § 121.