Dictionary

fertilize en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈfɜː(ɹ)tɪlaɪz/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From French fertiliser; equivalent to fertile + -ize.

Meanings

1. To make (the soil) more fertile by adding nutrients to it.
2. (figuratively) To make more creative or intellectually productive.
   • to fertilize one's imagination
   • He [countertenor Anthony Roth Constanzo] also enjoys being the catalyst whereby opera fertilises other art forms: recently, he's collaborated with Japanese kabuki actors, and a project with dancers from New York City Ballet is in the offing. 2014 August 8, Rupert Christiansen, “The truth about falsettos [print version: 12 August 2014, p. R8]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review):
3. To cause to produce offspring through insemination; to inseminate.

Forms

Deriveds

biofertilize · refertilize · overfertilize · nonfertilized · cross-fertilize · underfertilize · fertilizable · fertilizer · fertigation · fertilization · unfertilized · misfertilize · fertilizin · postfertilized · defertilize

Translations (46)

es abonar (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · de befruchten (to make creative or productive) · eo fekundigi (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · pl nawozić (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · pt fertilizar (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · uk живити (to make creative or productive) · cs zúrodňovat (to make creative or productive) · cs hnojit (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · cs zúrodnit (to make creative or productive) · gl fertilizar (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · ovd dritå (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · da gøde (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · bg наторявам (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · ka სასუქის შეტანა (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · bg торя (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · pl nawieźć (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · pt fertilizar (to make creative or productive) · la fēcundō (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · vi bón (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · az gübrələmək (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · da gødske (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · it fertilizzare (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · ovd teða (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · ro fertiliza (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · ca fertilitzar (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · uk удобрювати (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · fr fertiliser (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · gd feamainn (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · ka ნაკელშეტანა (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · qu wanuy (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · pl użyźniać (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · ga leasaigh (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · ka განოყიერება (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · ka გაპატივება (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · pl użyźnić (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · sq mbars (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · fi lannoittaa (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · fi ravita (to make creative or productive) · ru удобря́ть (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · ru удо́брить (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · es fertilizar (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · nl bemesten (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · de düngen (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · tr gübrelemek (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · ovd dyndja (to make fertile by adding nutrients) · oc fertilizar (to make fertile by adding nutrients)