fertile

American  

[fur-tl, -tahyl] / ˈfɜr tl, -taɪl /

adjective

1. bearing, producing, or capable of producing vegetation, crops, etc., abundantly; prolific.

   fertile soil.

   Synonyms:

   teeming, fecund

   Antonyms:

   barren, sterile

2. bearing or capable of bearing offspring.

   Synonyms:

   teeming, fecund

   Antonyms:

   barren, sterile

3. abundantly productive.

   a fertile imagination.

   Synonyms:

   teeming, fecund

   Antonyms:

   barren, sterile

4. producing an abundance (usually followed by of orin ).

   a land fertile of wheat.

5. conducive to productiveness.

   fertile showers.

6. Biology.

   1. fertilized, as an egg or ovum; fecundated.

   2. capable of growth or development, as seeds or eggs.

7. Botany.

   1. capable of producing sexual reproductive structures.

   2. capable of causing fertilization, as an anther with fully developed pollen.

   3. having spore-bearing organs, as a frond.

8. Physics. (of a nuclide) capable of being transmuted into a fissile nuclide by irradiation with neutrons.

   Uranium 238 and thorium 232 are fertile nuclides.

9. produced in abundance.

---

fertile British  

/ ˈfɜːtaɪl /

adjective

1. capable of producing offspring

2. 1. (of land) having nutrients capable of sustaining an abundant growth of plants

   2. (of farm animals) capable of breeding stock

3. biology

   1. capable of undergoing growth and development

      fertile seeds

      fertile eggs

   2. (of plants) capable of producing gametes, spores, seeds, or fruits

4. producing many offspring; prolific

5. highly productive; rich; abundant

   a fertile brain

6. physics (of a substance) able to be transformed into fissile or fissionable material, esp in a nuclear reactor

7. conducive to productiveness

   fertile rain

---

fertile Scientific  

/ fûr′tl /

1. Capable of producing offspring, seeds, or fruit.

2. Capable of developing into a complete organism; fertilized.

3. Capable of supporting plant life; favorable to the growth of crops and plants.

---

Related Words

See productive.

Other Word Forms

• fertilely adverb
• fertileness noun
• half-fertile adjective
• half-fertilely adverb
• half-fertileness noun
• nonfertile adjective
• overfertile adjective
• prefertile adjective
• unfertile adjective

Etymology

Origin of fertile

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English (from Middle French ), from Latin fertilis “fruitful,” akin to ferre “to bear”; bear ¹, -ile

Example Sentences

This makes verification increasingly difficult, especially as social media can also provide fertile ground for fabrications, unfounded claims, and distorted realities, a challenge further intensified by the rise of AI.

From BBC

Curling was born in Scotland in the early 16th century but grew up centuries later on the Canadian prairies, where the severe weather, rural landscape and boredom provided fertile ground.

From Los Angeles Times

"Our villages are emptying and, in the region's most fertile plain, we're sowing glass and concrete," said Tentsoglidis in a tilt at the solar farms.

From Barron's

According to diplomats and analysts, the UAE is interested in Sudan's gold deposits, fertile farmland, long Red Sea coast, and strategic position between the Horn of Africa and the Sahel.

From Barron's

The economic pinch, mixed with thriving reactionary online culture and tense gender dynamics, creates a fertile soil for groups like Park's to recruit from.

From BBC

Related Words

• abundant
• arable
• fruitful
• lush
• productive
• rich