prolific
Americanadjective
-
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
Synonym Usage
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.
A towering influence on jazz’s postwar evolution and a prolific composer of songs that became jazz standards, Mr. Rollins was seldom satisfied with his performances.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
Rollins had a prolific career that began in the late 1940s.
From BBC • May 26, 2026
He's the most prolific scorer Hearts have had since the great John Robertson.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
Over the last 15 years, Mayes Middleton has become a prolific GOP donor, spending millions of his oil and gas fortune on conservative candidates and causes.
From Salon • May 23, 2026
Raise the value very slightly–to 0.008 percent–and bonding would be so wildly prolific that the hydrogen would long since have been exhausted.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
