Langimage
English

barrenly

|bar/ren/ly|

C1

/ˈbærənli/

(barren)

unproductive state

Base FormNoun
barrenbarrenness
Etymology
Etymology Information

'barren' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'barain', where 'bar-' meant 'bare' or 'empty'.

Historical Evolution

'barain' transformed into the Middle English word 'barain', and eventually became the modern English word 'barren'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'bare or empty', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'unproductive or unfruitful'.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Adverb 1

in a manner that is unproductive or unfruitful.

The land lay barrenly under the scorching sun.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:41