fertilization

American  

[fur-tl-uh-zey-shuhn] / ˌfɜr tl əˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

fertilizations plural

1. an act, process, or instance of fertilizing.

2. the state of being fertilized.

3. Biology.

   1. the union of male and female gametic nuclei.

   2. fecundation or impregnation of animals or plants.

4. the enrichment of soil, as for the production of crops.

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fertilization British  

/ ˌfɜːtɪlaɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. the union of male and female gametes, during sexual reproduction, to form a zygote

2. the act or process of fertilizing

3. the state of being fertilized

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fertilization Scientific  

/ fûr′tl-ĭ-zā′shən /

1. The process by which two gametes (reproductive cells having a single, haploid set of chromosomes) fuse to become a zygote, which develops into a new organism. The resultant zygote is diploid (it has two sets of chromosomes). In cross-fertilization, the two gametes come from two different individual organisms. In self-fertilization, the gametes come from the same individual. Fertilization includes the union of the cytoplasm of the gametes (called plasmogamy) followed by the union of the nuclei of the two gametes (called karyogamy). Among many animals, such as mammals, fertilization occurs inside the body of the female. Among fish, eggs are fertilized in the water. Among plants, fertilization of eggs occurs within the reproductive structures of the parent plant, such as the ovules of gymnosperms and angiosperms.

2. See Note at pollination

3. The process of making soil more productive of plant growth, as by the addition of organic material or fertilizer.

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fertilization Cultural  

1. The joining of sex cells to form a new living thing. In humans, a male sperm joins a female ovum, or egg; the resulting zygote divides into a multicelled structure that implants in the womb and grows into an embryo. In plants, pollen grains, containing the male sex cells, enter the female sex cells in the pistil; from this union, fruit eventually grows. When fertilization occurs within a single flower, we call it self-fertilization. (See cross-fertilization.)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overfertilization
  noun
• prefertilization
  noun
• refertilization
  noun
• fertilizational
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• fertilizations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fertilization

First recorded in 1855–60; fertilize + -ation

Explanation

Fertilization means you're applying something to the soil to make it better. Chemicals or even manure can be used for fertilization. That may not smell very nice, but your plants will grow better as a result. The noun fertilization also can refer to the process that allows humans and animals to reproduce. Fertilization occurs when an egg and sperm come together. Fertilization might happen if your dog keeps hanging out with that golden retriever down the street — then you can look forward to raising some puppies. Similarly, fertilization of a plant can occur when a bee transfers pollen from one flower to another.

Example Sentences

After he and his wife had difficulties conceiving their first child, they finally found success in 2023 through In Vitro Fertilization, commonly known as IVF.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2025

Fertilization in mammals begins when a sperm attaches to the egg coat, a filamentous extracellular envelope that sperm must penetrate in order to fuse with the egg.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2024

The Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority said fewer than five babies have been born this way in the U.K. but did not provide further details to protect the families’ identities.

From Washington Times • May 10, 2023

Britain’s Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority said fewer than five babies have been born this way in the U.K. but did not provide further details to protect the families’ identities.

From Seattle Times • May 10, 2023

The Simultaneous Fertilization had occurred in the early morning hours of March 24, 1923, in separate, vertical bedrooms, after a night out at the theater.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• breeding
• implantation
• pollination
• procreation
• propagation