fertilizer

[ fur-tl-ahy-zer ]

noun

1. any substance used to fertilize the soil, especially a commercial or chemical manure.
2. a person, insect, etc., that fertilizes an animal or plant:

   Bees are fertilizers of flowers.

fertilizer

/ ˈfɜːtɪˌlaɪzə /

noun

1. any substance, such as manure or a mixture of nitrates, added to soil or water to increase its productivity
2. an object or organism such as an insect that fertilizes an animal or plant

fertilizer

/ fûr′tl-ī′zər /

1. Any of a large number of natural and synthetic materials, including manure and compounds containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, spread on or worked into soil to increase its capacity to support plant growth. Synthetic fertilizers can greatly increase the productivity of soil but have high energy costs, since fossil fuels are required as a source of hydrogen, which is necessary to fix nitrogen in ammonia.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fertilizer¹

First recorded in 1655–65; fertilize + -er ¹

Example Sentences

This symbiosis increases a plant's survival in nitrogen-deficient soils without the use of nitrogen fertilizers.

From Science Daily

There are also many environmental problems from growing the sugar, like habitat and biodiversity loss and water pollution from fertilizers and mills.

From Salon

Hunter Swisher, a 2016 Penn State alumnus, is the founder and chief executive officer of Phospholutions, a fertilizer formulated to increase phosphorus efficiency in the soil.

From Science Daily

For instance, standard plantation management usually includes suppression of the undergrowth by using large amounts of herbicides and fertilizers.

From Science Daily

Well, there’s a different issue for houseplant parents who must wander their indoor jungles with watering cans, misters, fertilizers and pruners and then find a place to store them.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• manure