fertilize
|fer-ti-lize|
🇺🇸
/ˈfɜːrtəˌlaɪz/
🇬🇧
/ˈfɜːtɪlaɪz/
make productive
Etymology
'fertilize' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'fertilis,' where 'fertilis' meant 'fruitful or productive.'
'fertilis' transformed into the French word 'fertiliser,' and eventually became the modern English word 'fertilize' through Middle English.
Initially, it meant 'to make fruitful or productive,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
to make (soil or land) more fertile or productive by adding suitable substances to it.
Farmers often fertilize their fields in the spring.
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Verb 2
to cause (an egg, female animal, or plant) to develop a new individual by introducing male reproductive material.
The scientist fertilized the egg in the laboratory.
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Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:41