fertilization

American  

[fur-tl-uh-zey-shuhn] / ˌfɜr tl əˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. an act, process, or instance of fertilizing.

2. the state of being fertilized.

3. Biology.

   1. the union of male and female gametic nuclei.

   2. fecundation or impregnation of animals or plants.

4. the enrichment of soil, as for the production of crops.

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fertilization British  

/ ˌfɜːtɪlaɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. the union of male and female gametes, during sexual reproduction, to form a zygote

2. the act or process of fertilizing

3. the state of being fertilized

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fertilization Scientific  

/ fûr′tl-ĭ-zā′shən /

1. The process by which two gametes (reproductive cells having a single, haploid set of chromosomes) fuse to become a zygote, which develops into a new organism. The resultant zygote is diploid (it has two sets of chromosomes). In cross-fertilization, the two gametes come from two different individual organisms. In self-fertilization, the gametes come from the same individual. Fertilization includes the union of the cytoplasm of the gametes (called plasmogamy) followed by the union of the nuclei of the two gametes (called karyogamy). Among many animals, such as mammals, fertilization occurs inside the body of the female. Among fish, eggs are fertilized in the water. Among plants, fertilization of eggs occurs within the reproductive structures of the parent plant, such as the ovules of gymnosperms and angiosperms.

2. See Note at pollination

3. The process of making soil more productive of plant growth, as by the addition of organic material or fertilizer.

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fertilization Cultural  

1. The joining of sex cells to form a new living thing. In humans, a male sperm joins a female ovum, or egg; the resulting zygote divides into a multicelled structure that implants in the womb and grows into an embryo. In plants, pollen grains, containing the male sex cells, enter the female sex cells in the pistil; from this union, fruit eventually grows. When fertilization occurs within a single flower, we call it self-fertilization. (See cross-fertilization.)

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Other Word Forms

• fertilizational adjective
• overfertilization noun
• prefertilization noun
• refertilization noun

Etymology

Origin of fertilization

First recorded in 1855–60; fertilize + -ation

Explanation

Fertilization means you're applying something to the soil to make it better. Chemicals or even manure can be used for fertilization. That may not smell very nice, but your plants will grow better as a result. The noun fertilization also can refer to the process that allows humans and animals to reproduce. Fertilization occurs when an egg and sperm come together. Fertilization might happen if your dog keeps hanging out with that golden retriever down the street — then you can look forward to raising some puppies. Similarly, fertilization of a plant can occur when a bee transfers pollen from one flower to another.

Example Sentences

Couples who plan to undergo in vitro fertilization are increasingly addressing custody of frozen embryos in prenups.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Last March, at a Women’s History Month event, President Donald Trump highlighted his record on women’s health, including support for in vitro fertilization, saying he’ll one day be known as the “fertilization president.”

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026

Off-season produce is vulnerable to higher prices because of the increased price of diesel fuel for trucks, refrigeration and fertilization, said Stanley Lim, co-director of Michigan State University’s Food Access & Supply Chain Technology Lab.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 21, 2026

"Colonial-era writings we studied report that communities across coastal Peru and northern Chile sailed to several nearby islands on rafts to collect seabird droppings for fertilization."

From Science Daily • Mar. 7, 2026

Heredity, date of fertilization, membership of Bokanovsky Group—details were transferred from test-tube to bottle.

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley

Related Words

• breeding
• implantation
• pollination
• procreation
• propagation