fertilize
pronunciation
How to pronounce fertilize in British English:
UK [ˈfɜːtəlaɪz]
How to pronounce fertilize in American English:
US [ˈfɜːrtəlaɪz]
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- Verb:
- provide with fertilizers or add nutrients to
- make fertile or productive
- introduce semen into (a female)
Word Origin
- fertilize (v.)
- 1640s, "make fertile;" see fertile + -ize. Its biological sense of "unite with an egg cell" is first recorded 1859. Related: Fertilized; fertilizing.
Example
- 1. She also explains how best to fertilize and water your tomatoes and what dangers might threaten your harvest .
- 2. It took more energy to plant , fertilize , harvest , and process the corn than the ethanol yielded .
- 3. Less than 1 % of a primate 's sperm , including humans , is designed to actually fertilize the egg .
- 4. Ever wonder how individual sperm are selected to fertilize a single egg ?
- 5. The final ( declaration ) called for immediately support for agricultural production including seeds , fertilize and other supplies .