fertilization

[fur-tl-uh-zey-shuhn]

noun

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.

fertilization

/ 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

fertilization

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.

fertilization

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.)

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of fertilization¹

First recorded in 1855–60; fertilize + -ation

Example Sentences

Senate Bill 323 is the second bill introduced in the state legislature this year that would classify a fetus as a human being from fertilization, effectively categorizing abortion as homicide.

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At one town hall, he declared, “We want fertilization, and it’s all the way,” ensuring the unfortunate reporters there would rush to the hotel afterward for a shower.

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But a website that contained no name but appeared connected to the bombing laid out the case for “a war against pro-lifers” and said a fertilization clinic would be targeted.

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In what Abdallah described as a series of miracles, nobody was in the clinic last Saturday morning and its in vitro fertilization lab remained intact despite the mighty force of the explosion.

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An online website that contained no name, but appeared connected to the bombing, laid out the case for “a war against pro-lifers” and said a fertilization clinic would be targeted.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• breeding 
• implantation 
• pollination 
• procreation 
• propagation