fertilizer

American  

[fur-tl-ahy-zer] / ˈfɜr tlˌaɪ zər /

noun

1. any substance used to fertilize the soil, especially a commercial or chemical manure.

2. a person, insect, etc., that fertilizes an animal or plant.

   Bees are fertilizers of flowers.

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fertilizer British  

/ ˈfɜːtɪˌlaɪzə /

noun

1. any substance, such as manure or a mixture of nitrates, added to soil or water to increase its productivity

2. an object or organism such as an insect that fertilizes an animal or plant

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fertilizer Scientific  

/ fûr′tl-ī′zər /

1. Any of a large number of natural and synthetic materials, including manure and compounds containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, spread on or worked into soil to increase its capacity to support plant growth. Synthetic fertilizers can greatly increase the productivity of soil but have high energy costs, since fossil fuels are required as a source of hydrogen, which is necessary to fix nitrogen in ammonia.

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Etymology

Origin of fertilizer

First recorded in 1655–65; fertilize + -er ¹

Explanation

Material you add to a garden to increase the nutrients in the soil and help plants grow is called fertilizer. If your rosebushes are looking a little sad, you might want to try using fertilizer. To fertilize is to make something fertile, or to encourage it to grow or reproduce. These words, along with fertilizer, come from the Latin fertilis, "bearing in abundance, fruitful, or productive." The most common kind of organic fertilizer is animal manure or peat, and other fertilizers are made of specific nutrients like nitrogen or potassium. Fertilizers are usually solid, though they come in liquid form as well.

Example Sentences

Read more: Most U.S. farmers can’t afford all the fertilizer they need this year.

From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026

Rainey called the sharply reduced activity in the Strait of Hormuz could lift food prices in addition to gasoline costs, because of the importance of the waterway to fertilizer deliveries.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

It is widely used in fertilizer manufacturing, which is essential for agriculture and global food production.

From Science Daily • May 20, 2026

He’s 72 and does much of the farm work himself, pruning, repairing water lines and applying fertilizer.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

The floor was swept bare, with bags of seed and fertilizer stacked neatly by the door.

From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker

Related Words

• manure