fertilize

especially British, fer·ti·lise

[fur-tl-ahyz]

verb (used with object)

fertilized, fertilizing 

1. Biology.

   1. to render (the female gamete) capable of development by uniting it with the male gamete.

   2. to fecundate or impregnate (an animal or plant).

2. to make fertile; enrich.

   to fertilize farmland.

3. to make productive.

fertilize

/ ˈfɜːtɪˌlaɪz /

verb

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

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

3. to make fertile or productive

Other Word Forms

• fertilizable adjective
• fertilizability noun
• overfertilize verb (used with object)
• prefertilize verb (used with object)
• refertilizable adjective
• refertilize verb (used with object)
• unfertilizable adjective
• unfertilized adjective
• unfertilizing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fertilize¹

First recorded in 1640–50; fertile + -ize

Example Sentences

In clinical terms, IVF involves removing eggs from a woman, fertilizing them in a lab with sperm and implanting embryos in the uterus.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It was designed to roam the fields, planting and fertilizing and harvesting the feed crops.

Read more on Literature

"We have these fertilized eggs from many, many different genetic backgrounds and we raise them over a series of days until we have coral babies, coral teenagers," she explains.

Read more on BBC

Instead of treating her, the hospital sent her home, and the fertilized egg later ruptured, requiring emergency surgery to remove part of her reproductive system.

Read more on Salon

He does a lot more for his clients — trimming plants, fertilizing and weeding too.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• compost 
• enrich 
• germinate 
• impregnate 
• inseminate 
• mulch 
• pollinate 
• propagate