fertile

adjective

fer·​tile ˈfər-tᵊl 

chiefly British

-ˌtī(-ə)l 

1

a

: producing or bearing many crops in great quantities : productive

fertile fields of corn and oats

b

: characterized by great resourcefulness of thought or imagination : inventive

a fertile mind

c

obsolete : plentiful

2

a(1)

: capable of sustaining abundant plant growth

fertile soil

(2)

: affording abundant possibilities for growth or development

damp bathrooms are fertile ground for fungi

—Consumer Reports

a fertile area for research

b

: capable of growing or developing

a fertile egg

c(1)

: capable of producing fruit

fertile trees

(2)

of an anther : containing pollen

(3)

: developing spores or spore-bearing organs

d

: capable of breeding or reproducing

3

: capable of being converted into fissionable material

fertile uranium 238

fertilely

ˈfər-tᵊl-(l)ē 

adverb

fertileness

ˈfər-tᵊl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• cornucopian
• fat
• fecund
• fructuous
• fruitful
• lush
• luxuriant
• productive
• prolific
• rich

Choose the Right Synonym for fertile

fertile, fecund, fruitful, prolific mean producing or capable of producing offspring or fruit.

fertile implies the power to reproduce in kind or to assist in reproduction and growth

fertile soil

; applied figuratively, it suggests readiness of invention and development.

a fertile imagination

fecund emphasizes abundance or rapidity in bearing fruit or offspring.

a fecund herd

fruitful adds to fertile and fecund the implication of desirable or useful results.

fruitful research

prolific stresses rapidity of spreading or multiplying by or as if by natural reproduction.

a prolific writer

Examples of fertile in a Sentence

an area that is a fertile breeding ground for political extremism

This subject remains a fertile field for additional investigation.

He has a fertile mind.

Recent Examples on the Web

In 2020, misinformation experts warned that the window between the polls closing and knowing the outcome of the election could provide fertile ground for false narratives to spread and sow doubt about the legitimacy of the election process. —Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 5 Nov. 2024

Until, that is, investors realize that a popping stock market means financial conditions are easy which is fertile ground for a return of inflation. —Brett Owens, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

Societies of such high mortality were fertile ground for a variety of ghosts and ghost stories. —Tithi Bhattacharya / Made By History, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024

Their virulent strain of hate, deeply rooted in antisemitism, has spread beyond the region and found fertile ground in Western democracies, including the United States. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, from Latin fertilis, from ferre to carry, bear — more at bear

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing fertile

• cross-fertile
• fertile soil
• self-fertile

Kids Definition

fertile

adjective

fer·​tile ˈfərt-ᵊl 

1

: producing vegetation or crops plentifully : rich

fertile farmland

2

: producing thoughts and ideas abundantly

a fertile mind

3

a

: capable of growing and developing

a fertile seed

b

: capable of reproducing or of producing reproductive cells

a fertile bull

fertile fungal hyphae

fertility

(ˌ)fər-ˈtil-ət-ē

noun

Etymology

Middle English fertile "bearing in abundance, productive," from early French fertile and Latin fertilis (both same meaning), from Latin ferre "to bear, carry, yield, produce" — related to defer entry 1, transfer

Medical Definition

fertile

adjective

fer·​tile

ˈfərt-ᵊl, chiefly British ˈfər-ˌtīl

1

: capable of growing or developing

fertile egg

2

: developing spores or spore-bearing organs

3

a

: capable of breeding or reproducing

b

of an estrous cycle : marked by the production of one or more viable eggs