noun
fecundity
fih-KUN-duh-tee/fɪˈkʌndəti/
The capacity to generate abundant new life.
The tomato plant's fecundity is evident in its abundant fruit and continuing blossoms.
Etymology
The ending turns 'fruitful' into the quality of fruitfulness. Fecundity can therefore describe both biological fertility and the capacity to generate a rich crop of ideas.
In context
trees are spreading their fleshy leaves and displaying the fecundity of nature below that cicadas are competing for their lives
More examples
- Drought reduces the fecundity of these plants.
- Scientists measure fecundity by counting eggs produced each season.
- Food shortages can limit a fish's fecundity.
Forms
fecundity
fecund adjective — Able to produce many offspring or seeds.
Similar words
- fertility
- Emphasizes ability to reproduce rather than abundance of offspring.
- fruitfulness
- Often describes abundant crops and also applies to results.