Word Study
fertilize
CIDE DICTIONARY
fertilize, v. t. [Cf. F. fertiliser.].
- To make fertile or enrich; to supply with nourishment for plants; to make fruitful or productive; as, to fertilize land, soil, ground, and meadows. [1913 Webster]"And fertilize the field that each pretends to gain." [1913 Webster]
- To fecundate; as, to fertilize flower. A. R. Wallace. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
fertilize, v.tr. (also -ise)
1 make (soil etc.) fertile or productive.
2 cause (an egg, female animal, or plant) to develop a new individual by introducing male reproductive material.
1 make (soil etc.) fertile or productive.
2 cause (an egg, female animal, or plant) to develop a new individual by introducing male reproductive material.
Derivative
fertilizable adj. fertilizer n.
THESAURUS
fertilize
backset, compost, cross-fertilize, cross-pollen, cross-pollinate, cross-pollinize, cultivate, culture, cut, delve, dig, dress, enrich, fallow, fatten, fecundate, fecundify, feed, force, fructify, get with child, get with young, harrow, hoe, impregnate, inseminate, list, manure, mulch, nourish, plow, pollen, pollinate, pollinize, prolificate, prune, rake, spade, spermatize, thin, thin out, till, till the soil, weed, weed out, workROGET THESAURUS
fertilize
Productiveness
VB make productive, fructify, procreate, generate, fertilize, spermative, impregnate, fecundate, fecundify, teem, multiply, produce, conceive.For further exploring for "fertilize" in Webster Dictionary Online