adj
Uncommon
fertile
FUR-tyl
Fertile (adj) means of land, capable of producing abundant crops or plant growth. Example: “The river valley's fertile soil made it ideal for farming.”
adj
1
Of land, capable of producing abundant crops or plant growth.
"The river valley's fertile soil made it ideal for farming."
"Farmers settled in the fertile plain because crops grew well there."
"Volcanic ash left the island with fertile soil for growing grapes."
2
Capable of producing offspring.
"The couple were relieved to learn they were both fertile."
3
Highly productive or inventive, especially of the imagination.
"His fertile imagination produced dozens of story ideas a week."
"Her fertile mind turned a simple walk into an exciting adventure story."
"A fertile imagination helps writers invent characters nobody has met before."
How to use fertile
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAble to produce a lot — used for productive soil, the ability to conceive, or a rich imagination.
Common pairings
fertile soil
fertile ground
fertile imagination
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more fertile
- Superlative
- most fertile
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The river valley's _____ soil made it ideal for farming.
Etymology
From Latin fertilis, "fruitful," from ferre, "to bear or carry."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for fertile
See all rhymes for fertile →Frequently asked questions
What does “fertile” mean?
The word “fertile” means of land, capable of producing abundant crops or plant growth. In plain terms, able to produce a lot — used for productive soil, the ability to conceive, or a rich imagination.
How do you pronounce “fertile”?
“Fertile” is pronounced FUR-tyl (/ˈfɝːtəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “fertile” in a sentence?
Here is “fertile” used in a sentence: “The river valley's fertile soil made it ideal for farming.”
What part of speech is “fertile”?
“Fertile” is an adjective.
Where does the word “fertile” come from?
The word “fertile” comes from Latin. From Latin fertilis, "fruitful," from ferre, "to bear or carry.".
Is “fertile” a common word?
“Fertile” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “fertile” have?
“Fertile” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: of land, capable of producing abundant crops or plant growth.
What is the difference between fertile and fertilized?
Fertile describes an inherent capacity to produce life or growth, such as fertile soil or a fertile imagination. Fertilized describes a completed action or state, such as an egg that has already been fertilized or soil that has had fertilizer applied to it.
Can fertile describe a person as well as land?
Yes. Fertile is commonly applied to land and soil capable of producing abundant crops, but it also describes a person or animal capable of producing offspring, and figuratively a mind that is highly productive or inventive.
