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
Derived 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.
NextEra already has two top assets: A well-managed regulated utility in Florida Power & Light and NextEra Energy Resources, one of the most prolific power-plant developers in North America.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Rossetti, a licensed psychologist and unusually prolific exorcist, has “led hundreds of exorcism and deliverance sessions,” according to the website of his exorcism-focused nonprofit organization.
From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026
Baxter: Norway hasn’t played in a World Cup this century but it has a good back line and the game’s most prolific scorer in Erling Haaland.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
Sunshine eventually became the most prolific silver mine in the U.S. and among the world’s top deposits.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
Raise the value very slightly–to 0.008 percent–and bonding would be so wildly prolific that the hydrogen would long since have been exhausted.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
