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.
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist and prolific property investor Flea has brought his “extraordinary” Malibu sanctuary back to the market for $7.99 million inside one of California’s most exclusive beachfront enclaves.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
Earlier this year, a prolific waste criminal was ordered to pay £1.2m in compensation for illegally dumping more than 4,000 tonnes of waste across England.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Author and prolific poster Joyce Carol-Oates questioned whether McConnell was involved in the statement at all.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
Throughout a prolific career that spanned decades, Saar brought issues of race and racism to the foreground in ways that were immediate and visceral.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Vincent and Gauguin are both prolific, and Theo is having success selling Gauguin’s work.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
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.
