fructuousadj.
/ˈfrʌktjʊəs/, /ˈfrʌktʃʊəs/, U.S. /ˈfrək(t)ʃ(əw)əs/ 1. † b. Promoting fertility. rare.
a. Full of, abounding with, or producing fruit.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > productiveness > [adjective]
bearinglOE
fruitfula1300
plenteousc1325
fructuousa1382
birthful?c1475
fertile1481
broodya1522
yielding1556
foisonous1570
procreant1588
generative1597
yieldy1598
childing1600
seedful1605
thankful1610
foisonable1613
prolifical1615
fecundous1630
feracious1637
prolific1653
fetiferous1654
floriferous1656
productive1672
fœtant1678
spawning1682
uberousa1706
populous?1789
productible1830
grateful1832
resultful1833
genetic1838
tumid1840
polyphorous1858
generant1875
proliferent1920
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Jer. xi. 16 An olyue plenteous, fair, fructuous.
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (1839) v. 42 That Lond..is drye and nothing fructuous.
1413 Pilgr. Sowle (1483) iv. ii. 58 That graf was taken fro a free appel tree and a fructuous.
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid i. viii. 68 Ane..fructuus grund, plenteous of victall.
1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) II. 106 Thair follouit ȝeiris thre So fructuous with sic fertilitie.
1614 T. Adams Diuells Banket vi. 310 It was as populous as fructuous; and at once blessed with pregnancie both of fruits for the people, and of people for the fruits.
1628 O. Felltham Resolves: 2nd Cent. xix. sig. L6v As Fruites..trans-earth'd..haue vigour enough in themselues to be fructuous, according to their nature.
1853 G. Johnston Terra Lindisfarnensis I. 106 It leads us..to woods and fructuous plains.
1855 R. Browning Old Pictures in Florence xxxiv Contrast the fructuous and sterile eras.
1886 B. Roosevelt Copper Queen I. ii. 23 Did not fruit come from St. Joseph, and every other fructuous town from east, west, north, or south?
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > earth or soil > soil qualities > [adjective] > fertile or rich > fertilizing element
battling1555
fructuous1603
battening1612
fattening1697
1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 991 If water were of the oune nature fructuous, it must needs follow, that it selfe alone, and at all times, should be able to produce fruit.
1708 J. Philips Cyder i. 35 So rich the soil, So much does fructuous moisture o'erabound.
2. figurative. Productive of ‘fruits’ or results; advantageous, beneficial, profitable.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > [adjective]
fremefulc1000
i-duȝea1250
hendyc1275
begetela1325
profitablea1325
speedful1340
worth1340
speedyc1380
behoveful1382
fructuousc1386
fruitfulc1386
vailable1390
availantc1420
availingc1420
commodious1420
commodous?1440
available1474
behovablea1475
advantageousc1485
profitly1485
beneficiala1513
advantageable1548
sanative1548
gainful1555
vantageable1570
vantageous?1572
gainy1573
comfortable1576
conducent1578
advantageous1591
bootful1594
availful1598
conducible?1611
commoditous1621
conducing1624
conduceful1635
proficuousa1642
proficaciousa1660
beneficenta1676
conducive1710
benefactory1744
benignant1791
sanatorya1832
beneficiary1836
c1386 G. Chaucer Parson's Prol. 73 Telleth quod he youre meditacioun..Beth fructuous and that in litel space.
c1410 N. Love tr. Bonaventura Mirror Life Christ (Gibbs MS.) xl. 88 After þat worthy sopere was done: and þat noble and fructuouse sermon endet.
1528 Rede me & be nott Wrothe sig. i ii Goddis worde..The fructeous fode, of oure faythfull trust.
1879 A. W. Ward Chaucer ii. 123 The even more improbable, but..infinitely more fructuous tale of patient Griseldis.
1884 Law Times 14 June 119/1 The execution must be fructuous if poundage is to be payable.
Derivatives
ˈfructuously adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > [adverb]
wellc1300
fructuouslya1382
profitablya1382
wella1400
commodiously1420
at the best advice1433
fruitfullyc1450
fruituouslyc1450
behovably1512
profitable?c1525
availably1530
beneficially1531
advantageously1562
availfully1603
the world > existence and causation > creation > productiveness > [adverb]
fructuouslya1382
fertilelya1586
pregnantly1593
fruitfully1608
fructiferously1635
exuberantly1650
teemingly1651
prolifically1735
prolificly1851
resultfully1860
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Ecclus. viii. 10 Of hem [wise prestis] forsothe thou shalt lerne wisdam..and fructuousli vse grete men withoute pleynt.
c1450 Gesta Romanorum (Harl.) lii. 233 Who so euer prechithe fructuovslye the worde of god.
?1529 Proper Dyaloge Gentillman & Husbandman sig. B iiij Old wrytynges..do include The pythe of a matter most fructuously.
ˈfructuousness n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > productiveness > [noun]
plenteoustea1382
fatnessc1420
feracityc1420
fruitfulheadc1450
fruitfulness1509
exuberancy1649
unbarrenness1656
efficience1669
teemingness1674
prolificity1718
generativeness1727
productiveness1727
prolificacy1756
productivity1818
fructuousness1855
teeming1856
plenteousness1864
populousness1881
fruition1885
1855 J. Ogilvie Suppl. Imperial Dict. Fructuously, fruitfully, fertilely. Fructuousness, fruitfulness, fertility.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.a1382