Standard Lemma guide

fertilize

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈfɜː(ɹ)tɪlaɪz/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: F ER1 T AH0 L AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To make (the soil) more fertile by adding nutrients to it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To make more creative or intellectually productive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • to fertilize one's imagination

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To cause to produce offspring through insemination; to inseminate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

introduce semen into (a female)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inseminate, fecundate, fertilise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

Narrower terms: stratify, impregnate, knock up, bang up, prang up, cross-fertilize, cross-fertilise, pollinate, pollenate, cross-pollinate

5

verb

Meaning 5

provide with fertilizers or add nutrients to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We should fertilize soil if we want to grow healthy plants

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fertilise, feed

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: enrich

Narrower terms: nitrify, dung, topdress

6

verb

Meaning 6

make fertile or productive

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The course fertilized her imagination

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fecundate, fertilise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

History

Etymology

From French fertiliser; equivalent to fertile + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

46 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: mbars — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Azerbaijani: gübrələmək — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Bulgarian: торя (torja) — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Bulgarian: наторявам (natorjavam) — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Catalan: fertilitzar — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Czech: hnojit — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Danish: gøde — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Danish: gødske — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Dutch: bemesten — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Elfdalian: teða — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Elfdalian: dyndja — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Elfdalian: dritå — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Esperanto: fekundigi — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Finnish: lannoittaa — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • French: fertiliser — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Galician: fertilizar — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Georgian: განოყიერება (ganoq̇iereba) — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Georgian: გაპატივება (gaṗaṭiveba) — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Georgian: ნაკელშეტანა (naḳelšeṭana) — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Georgian: სასუქის შეტანა (sasukis šeṭana) — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • German: düngen — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Irish: leasaigh — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Italian: fertilizzare — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Latin: fēcundō — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Occitan: fertilizar — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Polish: użyźniać — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Polish: użyźnić — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Polish: nawozić — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Polish: nawieźć — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Portuguese: fertilizar — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Quechua: wanuy — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Romanian: fertiliza — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Russian: удобря́ть (udobrjátʹ) — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Russian: удо́брить (udóbritʹ) — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Scottish Gaelic: feamainn — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Spanish: fertilizar — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Spanish: abonar — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Turkish: gübrelemek — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Ukrainian: удобрювати (udobrjuvaty) — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Vietnamese: bón — to make fertile by adding nutrients
  • Czech: zúrodnit — to make creative or productive
  • Czech: zúrodňovat — to make creative or productive
  • Finnish: ravita — to make creative or productive
  • German: befruchten — to make creative or productive
  • Portuguese: fertilizar — to make creative or productive
  • Ukrainian: живити (žyvyty) — to make creative or productive