fertility
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being fertile.
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Biology. the ability to produce offspring; power of reproduction.
the amazing fertility of rabbits.
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the birthrate of a population.
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(of soil) the capacity to supply nutrients in proper amounts for plant growth when other factors are favorable.
noun
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the ability to produce offspring, esp abundantly
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the state or quality of being fertile
Other Word Forms
- nonfertility noun
- overfertility noun
- prefertility noun
- unfertility noun
Etymology
Origin of fertility
1375–1425; late Middle English fertilite (< Middle French ) < Latin fertilitās. See fertile, -ity
Explanation
Fertility is the ability to have babies or to reproduce. When fertility rates in a community increase, more babies are born. Fertility is the quality of a human's ability to produce offspring, which is dependent on age, health, and other factors. The noun can also refer to the state of a plant or animal's being capable of reproduction. When you hear about "fertility rates," it means the number of births that happen during a certain time period in a specific location. The Latin root word is fertilis, "bearing in abundance or fruitful," from ferre, "to bear."
Vocabulary lists containing fertility
Bless Me, Ultima
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Content Summary G.3: Spatial Reorganization
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American Street
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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.
Organon is best known for its Nexplanon contraceptive implant, but also offers fertility treatments and an expanding pipeline of biosimilars, Food and Drug Administration-approved versions of existing drugs.
From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026
In Chloe’s case, she began the pregnancy process by contracting with a fertility clinic to implant an embryo conceived with Silvia’s egg and Fausto’s sperm.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2026
The increase in the cost of benefits reflected the combined effects of the retirement of baby boomers and a slower-growing labor force due to the decline in fertility.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
“But delayed parenthood often comes with increased reliance on fertility care, and today, too many people who want children face significant barriers to accessing it.”
From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026
We will bury it in our fields to renew their fertility and to assure that the baby will follow our ways.
From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
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.
