fertile

[ fur-tlor, especially British, -tahyl ]

adjective

1. bearing, producing, or capable of producing vegetation, crops, etc., abundantly; prolific:

   fertile soil.

   Synonyms: teeming, fecund

   Antonyms: barren, sterile

2. bearing or capable of bearing offspring.

   Synonyms: teeming, fecund

   Antonyms: barren, sterile

3. abundantly productive:

   a fertile imagination.

   Synonyms: teeming, fecund

   Antonyms: barren, sterile

4. producing an abundance (usually followed by of or in ):

   a land fertile of wheat.

5. conducive to productiveness:

   fertile showers.

6. Biology.
   1. fertilized, as an egg or ovum; fecundated.
   2. capable of growth or development, as seeds or eggs.
7. Botany.
   1. capable of producing sexual reproductive structures.
   2. capable of causing fertilization, as an anther with fully developed pollen.
   3. having spore-bearing organs, as a frond.
8. Physics. (of a nuclide) capable of being transmuted into a fissile nuclide by irradiation with neutrons: Compare fissile ( def 2 ).

   Uranium 238 and thorium 232 are fertile nuclides.

9. produced in abundance.

fertile

/ ˈfɜːtaɪl /

adjective

1. capable of producing offspring
2. 1. (of land) having nutrients capable of sustaining an abundant growth of plants
   2. (of farm animals) capable of breeding stock
3. biology
   1. capable of undergoing growth and development

      fertile seeds

      fertile eggs

   2. (of plants) capable of producing gametes, spores, seeds, or fruits
4. producing many offspring; prolific
5. highly productive; rich; abundant

   a fertile brain

6. physics (of a substance) able to be transformed into fissile or fissionable material, esp in a nuclear reactor
7. conducive to productiveness

   fertile rain

fertile

/ fûr′tl /

1. Capable of producing offspring, seeds, or fruit.
2. Capable of developing into a complete organism; fertilized.
3. Capable of supporting plant life; favorable to the growth of crops and plants.

Derived Forms

• ˈfertileness, noun
• ˈfertilely, adverb

Other Words From

• fertile·ly adverb
• fertile·ness noun
• half-fertile adjective
• half-fertile·ly adverb
• half-fertile·ness noun
• non·fertile adjective
• over·fertile adjective
• pre·fertile adjective
• un·fertile adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fertile¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English (from Middle French ), from Latin fertilis “fruitful,” akin to ferre “to bear”; bear ¹, -ile

Word History and Origins

Origin of fertile¹

C15: from Latin fertilis , from ferre to bear

Synonym Study

See productive.

Example Sentences

“The ground is fertile,” said Jesse Rabinowitz, campaign and communications director for the National Homelessness Law Center, which fights laws aimed at criminalizing homelessness.

From Los Angeles Times

The success of Koch’s approach inadvertently led to the United States' most fertile breeding ground for punters being on the other side of the world.

From BBC

The pair formed a fertile partnership, with Sinatra calling him "a giant" and "one of the finest musicians I've ever known".

From BBC

Many communities live dangerously close to the volcanoes in order to cultivate the fertile soil they provide.

From BBC

“There are still a lot of discoveries to be made and is therefore a fertile field for young minds,” Mans said.

From Salon

Related Words

• abundant
• arable
• fruitful
• lush
• productive
• rich