Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense fertilizes, present participle fertilizing, past tense, past participle fertilizedregional note: in BRIT, also use fertilise
1. verb
When an egg from the ovary of a woman or female animal is fertilized, a sperm from the male joins with the egg, causing a baby or young animal to begin forming. A female plant is fertilized when its reproductive parts come into contact with pollen from the male plant.
Certain varieties cannot be fertilised with their own pollen. [beVERB-ed + with]
...the normal sperm levels needed to fertilise the female egg. [VERB noun]
Pregnancy begins when the fertilized egg is implanted in the wall of the uterus. [VERB-ed]
[Also V n with n]
Synonyms: inseminate, impregnate, pollinate, make pregnant More Synonyms of fertilize
fertilization (fɜːʳtɪlaɪzeɪʃən)uncountable noun
The average length of time from fertilization until birth is about 266 days.
Synonyms: manuring, mulching, top dressing, dressing More Synonyms of fertilize
Synonyms: insemination, propagation, procreation, implantation More Synonyms of fertilize
2. verb
To fertilize land means to improve its quality in order to make plants grow well on it, by spreading solid animal waste or a chemical mixture on it.
The faeces contain nitrogen and it is that which fertilises the desert soil. [VERB noun]
...chemically fertilized fields. [VERB-ed]
More Synonyms of fertilize
fertilize in British English
or fertilise (ˈfɜːtɪˌlaɪz)
verb(transitive)
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
Derived forms
fertilizable (ˈfertiˌlizable) or fertilisable (ˈfertiˌlisable)
adjective
fertilize in American English
(ˈfɜrtəlˌaɪz)
verb transitiveWord forms: ferˈtilˌized or ferˈtilˌizing
1.
to make fertile; make fruitful or productive; enrich
nitrates fertilize soil
2.
to spread fertilizer on
3. Biology
to make (the female reproductive cell or female individual) fruitful by pollinating, or impregnating, with the male gamete
Derived forms
fertilizable (ˈfertilˌizable)
adjective
fertilization (ˌfertiliˈzation)
noun
Examples of 'fertilize' in a sentence
fertilize
He taught Gregory how to battle worms, whiteflies, slugs, ants, and other enemies of vegetation, and to fertilize, graft, and transplant.
Adair, Tom (Intro) THREE KINDS OF KISSING - SCOTTISH SHORT STORIES
In other languages
fertilize
British English: fertilize VERB
When an egg from the ovary of a woman or female animal is fertilized, a sperm from the male joins with the egg, causing a baby or young animal to begin forming. A female plant is fertilized when its reproductive parts come into contact with pollen from the male plant.
Certain varieties cannot be fertilized with their own pollen.
American English: fertilize
Brazilian Portuguese: fertilizar
Chinese: 使受精
European Spanish: fertilizar
French: fertiliser
German: befruchten
Italian: fertilizzarepianta
Japanese: 受精させる
Korean: 수정시키다
European Portuguese: fertilizar
Latin American Spanish: fertilizar
Chinese translation of 'fertilize'
fertilize
(ˈfəːtɪlaɪz)
vt
(Bio) 使受精 (shǐ shòujīng)
(Agr)[land]施肥于(於) (shīféi yú)
1 (verb)
Definition
to provide (an animal or plant) with sperm or pollen to bring about fertilization
sperm levels needed to fertilize the egg
Synonyms
inseminate
impregnate
endangered pandas impregnated by artificial insemination
pollinate
make pregnant
fructify
make fruitful
fecundate
2 (verb)
Definition
to supply (soil) with nutrients
grown in recently fertilized soil
Synonyms
enrich
feed
compost
manure
mulch
top-dress
dress
fertigate (Australian)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of impregnate
Definition
to make pregnant
endangered pandas impregnated by artificial insemination