fertilize

American  

[fur-tl-ahyz] / ˈfɜr tlˌaɪz /

especially British, fertilise

verb (used with object)

fertilized, fertilizing

1. Biology.

   1. to render (the female gamete) capable of development by uniting it with the male gamete.

   2. to fecundate or impregnate (an animal or plant).

2. to make fertile; enrich.

   to fertilize farmland.

3. to make productive.

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fertilize British  

/ ˈfɜːtɪˌlaɪz /

verb

1. to provide (an animal, plant, or egg cell) with sperm or pollen to bring about fertilization

2. to supply (soil or water) with mineral and organic nutrients to aid the growth of plants

3. to make fertile or productive

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Other Word Forms

• fertilizability noun
• fertilizable adjective
• overfertilize verb (used with object)
• prefertilize verb (used with object)
• refertilizable adjective
• refertilize verb (used with object)
• unfertilizable adjective
• unfertilized adjective
• unfertilizing adjective

Etymology

Origin of fertilize

First recorded in 1640–50; fertile + -ize

Example Sentences

He said he already had paid $50,000 more than last year to fertilize his corn fields in the past 30 days.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Researchers at Michigan State University have identified a molecular "switch" that boosts sperm energy just before they attempt to fertilize an egg.

From Science Daily • Feb. 14, 2026

Composting turns organic material, like food scraps, into a nutrient-rich mixture that can be used to fertilize new plants and crops.

From Salon • Jan. 22, 2025

“It can be also be used to fertilize terrestrial agriculture, and it’s fantastic because if you grow it out in the ocean, you’re not taking up any land.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2024

But Papa used the mess to fertilize everything that grew around the place.

From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper

Related Words

• compost
• enrich
• germinate
• impregnate
• inseminate
• mulch
• pollinate
• propagate