prolific
Americanadjective
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producing offspring, young, fruit, etc., abundantly; highly fruitful.
a prolific pear tree.
- Antonyms:
- barren
-
producing in large quantities or with great frequency; highly productive.
a prolific writer.
-
profusely productive or fruitful (often followed by in orof ).
a bequest prolific of litigations.
-
characterized by abundant production.
a prolific year for tomatoes.
adjective
-
producing fruit, offspring, etc, in abundance
-
producing constant or successful results
-
rich or fruitful
Related Words
See productive.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of prolific
First recorded in 1640–50, prolific is from the Medieval Latin word prōlificus “fertile.” See prolicide, -fic
Explanation
Someone or something that is prolific is fruitful or highly productive. A prolific songwriter can churn out five hit tunes before breakfast. A prolific writer cranks out two novels a year, and a prolific rabbit has baby bunnies every few months. The word comes from combining the medieval Latin prolificus (“offspring”) with a form of facere (“to make or do”). It can also connote something taking root and growing, like prolific poison ivy that takes over the yard.
Vocabulary lists containing prolific
The Scarlet Letter
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GRE Verbal Reasoning, List 1
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"A Modest Proposal," Vocabulary from the satire
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ross’ popularity at the time of his death, along with his prolific output, translated into an afterlife associating him with kindness and encouragement.
From Salon • May 2, 2026
That’s how Johnson came to own 2.5% of Sandman; his co-owners include entrepreneur and prolific racehorse owner Leonard C. Green and Vincent Viola, owner of the Florida Panthers.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
A prolific songwriter now, he only wrote two songs when he was with The Beatles; one of them, 1968's Don't Pass Me By, is a little bit country.
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
Outside of his live-band career, Foreman was a prolific DJ and a deeply knowledgeable music journalist.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
Fischer, like his predecessor Morphy, the nineteenth-century American prodigy, wasn’t especially prolific when it came to writing about chess, so the public greedily awaited each word he produced.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
