fertilize

[ fur-tl-ahyz ]
See synonyms for fertilize on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),fer·ti·lized, fer·ti·liz·ing.
  1. Biology.

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

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

  2. to make fertile; enrich: to fertilize farmland.

  1. to make productive.

Origin of fertilize

1
First recorded in 1640–50; fertile + -ize
  • Also especially British, fer·ti·lise .

Other words from fertilize

  • fer·ti·liz·a·ble, adjective
  • fer·ti·liz·a·bil·i·ty, noun
  • o·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, adjective
  • re·fer·ti·lize, verb (used with object), re·fer·ti·lized, re·fer·ti·liz·ing.
  • un·fer·ti·liz·a·ble, adjective
  • un·fer·ti·lized, adjective
  • un·fer·ti·liz·ing, adjective

Words Nearby fertilize

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use fertilize in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fertilize

fertilize

fertilise

/ (ˈfɜːtɪˌlaɪz) /


verb(tr)
  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

  1. to make fertile or productive

Derived forms of fertilize

  • 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