Word
fertilize
Phoneticsfer·til·ize, stress on the first syllable
/ˈfɝtəˌɫaɪz/
UK spelling · fertilise
Definition
v. to add food for plants to the soil to help them grow. You also use it when a male cell joins a female egg to start new life.
v. to supply soil or plants with nutrients that promote growth; to unite sperm and egg to initiate embryonic development.
Examples
“Farmers fertilize the fields every spring.”
“She fertilizes her tomato plants with compost to help them grow strong through the summer.”
“After testing the depleted soil, the vineyard decided to fertilize selectively, restoring nitrogen where the vines showed yellowing while leaving the healthier rows untouched.”
Examples
simple
“Farmers fertilize the fields every spring.”
contextual
“She fertilizes her tomato plants with compost to help them grow strong through the summer.”
complex
“After testing the depleted soil, the vineyard decided to fertilize selectively, restoring nitrogen where the vines showed yellowing while leaving the healthier rows untouched.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “fertilize” in context.
Verb
01. fertilize crop
“They fertilize the crop twice a year for higher yields.”
verb + noun
02. fertilize egg
“The sperm must fertilize the egg within hours.”
verb + noun
03. fertilize field
“They fertilize the field before sowing wheat.”
verb + noun
04. fertilize soil
“Farmers fertilize the soil with manure every autumn.”
verb + noun
Adjective
05. artificially fertilize
“Scientists can artificially fertilize eggs in the laboratory.”
adv + verb
06. heavily fertilize
“Farmers heavily fertilize the fields before planting rice.”
adv + verb
07. organically fertilize
“They organically fertilize vegetables with compost.”
adv + verb
Noun
08. fertilize with compost
“We fertilize the beds with compost every spring.”
verb + prep + noun
09. fertilize with manure
“They fertilize the garden with manure in autumn.”
verb + prep + noun
10. fertilize an egg in vitro
“Doctors can fertilize an egg in vitro to help couples conceive.”
11. fertilize the field with manure
“They fertilize the field with manure before planting corn.”
12. heavily fertilize the soil
“Intensive farms heavily fertilize the soil to boost yields.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.
Real-World Examples
“Their carcasses feed animals such as snapping turtles and raccoons, and the marine-derived nutrients in their flesh fertilize algae and forests.” “It shows that tiny aerosol particles of iron in the windborne smoke and ash fertilized the water as they fell into it, providing nutrients to fuel blooms at a scale unprecedented in that region.” “An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the lining of the uterus.” “Under this genetic system, females develop from fertilized eggs and possess two sets of chromosomes, while males develop from unfertilized eggs and have only one set.” Etymology
From French fertiliser; equivalent to fertile + -ize.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Word family
VERB
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/fertilize