fertilize

[ fur-tl-ahyz ]

/ ˈfɜr tlˌaɪz /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR fertilize ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), fer·ti·lized, fer·ti·liz·ing.

Biology.

to render (the female gamete) capable of development by uniting it with the male gamete.
to fecundate or impregnate (an animal or plant).

to make fertile; enrich: to fertilize farmland.

to make productive.

Nearby words

fertility cult, fertility drug, fertility factor, fertility symbol, fertilization, fertilize, fertilizer, fertilizin, ferula, ferule, ferulic acid

Also especially British, fer·ti·lise.

Origin of fertilize

First recorded in 1640–50; fertile + -ize

Related forms

fer·ti·liz·a·ble, adjectivefer·ti·liz·a·bil·i·ty, nouno·ver·fer·ti·lize, verb (used with object), o·ver·fer·ti·lized, o·ver·fer·ti·liz·ing.pre·fer·ti·lize, verb (used with object), pre·fer·ti·lized, pre·fer·ti·liz·ing.

re·fer·ti·liz·a·ble, adjectivere·fer·ti·lize, verb (used with object), re·fer·ti·lized, re·fer·ti·liz·ing.un·fer·ti·liz·a·ble, adjectiveun·fer·ti·lized, adjectiveun·fer·ti·liz·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for fertilize

The animals proved to be a great attraction as well as a handy way to fertilize the grass and keep it short.
Central Park’s Carriages Saved This Horse|Michael Daly|April 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Some is sold as a liming agent, and some is disposed of in landfills (though it used to be sent to Colorado to fertilize crops).
Toilet Made for Densely Populated Settlements Turns Waste Into Dollars|Mike Miesen|April 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I fertilize my orchard with stable litter, and think it beneficial on sandy soil.
The Apple|Various
I fertilize my orchard with stable litter; I spread it all over the ground and then harrow it in.
The Apple|Various

I fertilize my orchard with barn-yard litter and ashes; I think it beneficial, and would advise its use on all soils.
The Apple|Various
I fertilize my orchard with slightly rotted stable litter, and think it pays, and is beneficial.
The Apple|Various
I fertilize my orchard with stable litter; think it beneficial; would advise its use on sandy land.
The Apple|Various

British Dictionary definitions for fertilize

fertilize

fertilise

/ (ˈfɜːtɪˌlaɪz) /

verb (tr)

to provide (an animal, plant, or egg cell) with sperm or pollen to bring about fertilization

to supply (soil or water) with mineral and organic nutrients to aid the growth of plants

to make fertile or productive

Derived Forms

fertilizable or fertilisable, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Science definitions for fertilize

fertilization

[ fûr′tl-ĭ-zā′shən ]

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. See Note at pollination.

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

Related forms

fertilize verb