fertility

[ fer-til-i-tee ]

noun

1. the state or quality of being fertile.
2. Biology. the ability to produce offspring; power of reproduction:

   the amazing fertility of rabbits.

3. the birthrate of a population.
4. (of soil) the capacity to supply nutrients in proper amounts for plant growth when other factors are favorable.

fertility

/ fɜːˈtɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. the ability to produce offspring, esp abundantly
2. the state or quality of being fertile

Other Words From

• nonfer·tili·ty noun
• over·fer·tili·ty noun
• prefer·tili·ty noun
• unfer·tili·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fertility¹

1375–1425; late Middle English fertilite (< Middle French ) < Latin fertilitās. See fertile, -ity

Example Sentences

Body-centric data can include information such as the fingerprints used to unlock phones, face scans from facial recognition technology, and data from fitness and fertility trackers, mental health apps and digital medical records.

From Los Angeles Times

Stallion-mediated breeding is the preferred method used in horses for several reasons, one being that it's much easier to analyze a stallion's fertility than a mare's.

From Science Daily

Eighteen months ago, Ms Curtiss welcomed news of a planned review of fertility policy across the East Midlands.

From BBC

The buildup can lead to a variety of health issues, including increased risks of cancer, hormone disruption, fertility effects and damage to the brain and nervous system.

From Los Angeles Times

She had fertility treatment but that was unsuccessful, she told BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour.

From BBC

Related Words

• potency
• pregnancy
• productivity
• virility