Meanings
present singular third person fertilizes · participle present fertilizing · participle past fertilized · past fertilized · alternative fertilise
- To make (the soil) more fertile by adding nutrients to it.
- figurativelyTo make more creative or intellectually productive.
to fertilize one's imagination
1 more example
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) - To cause to produce offspring through insemination; to inseminate.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Frenchfertiliser
- Englishfertilize
From French fertiliser; equivalent to fertile + -ize.
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian торя, наторявам
- торя (torja)to make fertile by adding nutrients
- наторявам (natorjavam)to make fertile by adding nutrients
Catalan fertilitzar
- fertilitzarto make fertile by adding nutrients
Czech hnojit, zúrodnit
- hnojitto make fertile by adding nutrients
- zúrodnitto make creative or productive
- zúrodňovatto make creative or productive
Danish gøde, gødske
- gødeto make fertile by adding nutrients
- gødsketo make fertile by adding nutrients
Dutch bemesten
- bemestento make fertile by adding nutrients
Esperanto fekundigi
- fekundigito make fertile by adding nutrients
Finnish lannoittaa, ravita
- lannoittaato make fertile by adding nutrients
- ravitato make creative or productive
French fertiliser
- fertiliserto make fertile by adding nutrients
German düngen, befruchten
- düngento make fertile by adding nutrients
- befruchtento make creative or productive
Irish leasaigh
- leasaighto make fertile by adding nutrients
Italian fertilizzare
- fertilizzareto make fertile by adding nutrients
Latin fēcundō
- fēcundōto make fertile by adding nutrients
Polish użyźniać, użyźnić
- użyźniaćto make fertile by adding nutrients
- użyźnićto make fertile by adding nutrients
- nawozićto make fertile by adding nutrients
- nawieźćto make fertile by adding nutrients
Portuguese fertilizar, fertilizar
- fertilizarto make fertile by adding nutrients
- fertilizarto make creative or productive
Romanian fertiliza
- fertilizato make fertile by adding nutrients
Russian удобря́ть, удо́брить
- удобря́ть (udobrjátʹ)to make fertile by adding nutrients
- удо́брить (udóbritʹ)to make fertile by adding nutrients
Scottish Gaelic feamainn
- feamainnto make fertile by adding nutrients
Spanish fertilizar, abonar
- fertilizarto make fertile by adding nutrients
- abonarto make fertile by adding nutrients
Turkish gübrelemek
- gübrelemekto make fertile by adding nutrients
Ukrainian удобрювати, живити
- удобрювати (udobrjuvaty)to make fertile by adding nutrients
- живити (žyvyty)to make creative or productive
Vietnamese bón
- bónto make fertile by adding nutrients
Cite this entry
fertilize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fertilize
“fertilize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fertilize. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fertilize,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fertilize.
Source: fertilize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.