prolific
Americanadjective
-
producing offspring, young, fruit, etc., abundantly; highly fruitful.
a prolific pear tree.
- Antonyms:
- barren
-
producing in large quantities or with great frequency; highly productive.
a prolific writer.
-
profusely productive or fruitful (often followed by in orof ).
a bequest prolific of litigations.
-
characterized by abundant production.
a prolific year for tomatoes.
adjective
-
producing fruit, offspring, etc, in abundance
-
producing constant or successful results
-
rich or fruitful
Synonym Usage
See productive.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of prolific
First recorded in 1640–50, prolific is from the Medieval Latin word prōlificus “fertile.” See prolicide, -fic
Explanation
Someone or something that is prolific is fruitful or highly productive. A prolific songwriter can churn out five hit tunes before breakfast. A prolific writer cranks out two novels a year, and a prolific rabbit has baby bunnies every few months. The word comes from combining the medieval Latin prolificus (“offspring”) with a form of facere (“to make or do”). It can also connote something taking root and growing, like prolific poison ivy that takes over the yard.
Vocabulary lists containing prolific
The Scarlet Letter
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GRE Verbal Reasoning, List 1
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"A Modest Proposal," Vocabulary from the satire
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yamal plays with much more speed and street-football flair and is far more prolific than Messi was at the same age.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
But one suspects that Mr. Kraus—one of the most versatile, imaginative and prolific writers of his generation—is just hitting his stride.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
De Ketelaere is not a prolific goalscorer but has scored two and assisted one while creating space for the wide attackers to play inside the penalty area more often.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
In and out of detention for years, he was also, in Ms. Colloff’s words, “one of the most prolific, and most effective, jailhouse witnesses in American history.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Euler was an excellent mathematician—in fact, he was one of the most prolific and influential in history—but in this case the careless manipulation of zero and infinity led him astray.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
