adjective
fertile
FER-tul/ˈfɜːrtl/
Capable of producing or supporting abundant living growth.
The fertile soil in our garden supports a healthy vegetable crop.
Etymology
Latin fertilis describes abundant bearing and comes from ferre, “to bear.” This image links land yielding crops with organisms producing offspring; a fertile mind similarly yields plentiful ideas.
In context
Each female is fertile for just two days. Not a chance a red-blooded ram wants to miss. But to get to mate, they first have to fight the other males.
More examples
- The farmer sets aside fertile eggs for hatching.
- She is most fertile around the time of ovulation.
- His fertile imagination turns everyday events into entertaining stories.
Forms
fertile · more fertile · most fertile
fertility noun — The ability to reproduce or support growth.
fertilize verb — To enable reproduction or enrich growing soil.
Similar words
- productive
- Emphasizes actual output rather than the capacity for growth.
- fruitful
- Often describes useful results rather than biological reproductive capacity.