fertilizer
[ fur-tl-ahy-zer ]
/ ˈfɜr tlˌaɪ zər /
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noun
any substance used to fertilize the soil, especially a commercial or chemical manure.
a person, insect, etc., that fertilizes an animal or plant: Bees are fertilizers of flowers.
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Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
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Words nearby fertilizer
fertility drug, fertility factor, fertility symbol, fertilization, fertilize, fertilizer, fertilizin, ferula, ferule, ferulic acid, ferv.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for fertilizer
British Dictionary definitions for fertilizer
fertilizer
fertiliser
/ (ˈfɜːtɪˌlaɪzə) /
noun
any substance, such as manure or a mixture of nitrates, added to soil or water to increase its productivity
an object or organism such as an insect that fertilizes an animal or plant
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for fertilizer
fertilizer
[ fûr′tl-ī′zər ]
Any of a large number of natural and synthetic materials, including manure and compounds containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, spread on or worked into soil to increase its capacity to support plant growth. Synthetic fertilizers can greatly increase the productivity of soil but have high energy costs, since fossil fuels are required as a source of hydrogen, which is necessary to fix nitrogen in ammonia.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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