fruitful

[froot-fuhl]

adjective

1. producing good results; beneficial; profitable.

   fruitful investigations.

   Antonyms: barren

2. abounding in fruit, as trees or other plants; bearing fruit abundantly.

3. producing an abundant growth, as of fruit.

   fruitful soil; fruitful rain.

fruitful

/ ˈfruːtfʊl /

adjective

1. bearing fruit in abundance

2. productive or prolific, esp in bearing offspring

3. causing or assisting prolific growth

4. producing results or profits

   a fruitful discussion

Other Word Forms

• fruitfully adverb
• fruitfulness noun
• overfruitful adjective
• overfruitfully adverb
• overfruitfulness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fruitful¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; fruit + -ful

Synonym Study

See productive.

Example Sentences

Whether it would be more fruitful to practice being at peace during times of war is a question for philosophers to take up.

Read more on Literature

Like many conservative journalists who write about politics, I’ve had a long and fruitful relationship with Heritage.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Since God did not intend “a whole Continent as fruitful and convenient for the use of man to lie waste without any improvement,” the settlers were entitled to take it over and make it better.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

So the team of Swiss, Japanese, Russian and Tajik scientists turned to the lower Kon Chukurbashi ice cap -- which ultimately proved to be very fruitful.

Read more on Barron's

After a few years of fruitful grinding, she came to L.A. to “see how high the ceiling was,” she says, and quickly fell in with a group of musician friends.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• advantageous 
• beneficial 
• conducive 
• effective 
• profitable 
• rewarding 
• successful 
• useful 
• worthwhile