fertilise
fertilise — verb
- fertilisepresent simple I / you / we / they
- fertilises3rd person singular
- fertilising-ing form
- fertilisedpast simple
1. to add natural or chemical nutrients to soil or land so that plants will grow be
to add natural or chemical nutrients to soil or land so that plants will grow better; or, in biology, to cause a female egg or ovule to begin forming a new living thing after a male cell such as sperm or pollen joins with it.
Karim fertilises his vegetable patch every autumn with homemade compost to keep the soil rich.
transitive: fertilise + noun phrase (land/soil)
In flowering plants, pollen grains must reach the stigma before they can fertilise the ovules.
biological use: fertilise + ovules/eggs
Renata fertilises her houseplants once a month during the growing season to keep them thriving.
The vet explained how a single sperm cell fertilises the egg during natural mating in dogs.
- enrich
used about soil; sounds more general and less technical
- nourish
focuses on feeding rather than adding specific fertiliser
- impregnate
formal biological term for fertilising an egg; less common in everyday use
文法句型
fertilise + noun phrase
be fertilised by + noun phrase
用法筆記
When talking about soil or land, the object is typically a noun such as soil, land, garden, or field. When talking about biology, common objects are egg, ovule, or flower. This sense is frequently used in the passive — e.g. The egg was fertilised shortly after ovulation.
常見錯誤
fertilise — noun
1. the process by which soil, land, or a biological system naturally becomes able t
the process by which soil, land, or a biological system naturally becomes able to produce more plants or new living things, without specifying the method.
The fertilisation of the desert soil took years of careful irrigation and composting.
uncountable: the fertilisation of + noun phrase
Scientists studied the natural fertilisation of the island after the volcanic eruption brought fresh minerals.
The fertilisation of abandoned farmland was the first step toward restoring the local ecosystem.
For centuries, farmers have achieved the fertilisation of crop fields simply by spreading animal manure.
- enrichment
more general; works for soil but not for biological reproduction
- nourishment
focuses on feeding rather than enabling reproduction
文法句型
the fertilisation of + noun phrase
用法筆記
This is the broadest noun sense, describing the general process of becoming fertile without focusing on the specific method. For the physical act of applying fertiliser to soil, see sense 2 (APPLICATION OF FERTILISER). For the biological union of sex cells, see sense 3 (BIOLOGICAL UNION OF GAMETES).
2. the act of adding a substance such as manure, compost, or chemical nutrients to
the act of adding a substance such as manure, compost, or chemical nutrients to soil in order to help plants grow more strongly.
Farmers schedule fertilisation just before the rainy season so nutrients soak into the ground.
collocation: schedule fertilisation / time fertilisation
Over-fertilisation of lawns can pollute nearby streams when rain washes the chemicals away.
compound: over-fertilisation
Élise bought a liquid fertiliser and finished the fertilisation of her tomato plants in twenty minutes.
Proper fertilisation of rice paddies can double the harvest without damaging the natural environment.
文法句型
fertilisation with + noun phrase
fertilisation of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (PROCESS OF MAKING FERTILE): this sense specifically names the physical act of spreading or applying fertiliser to soil, whereas sense 1 is the broader result or process. Distinguish from sense 3 (BIOLOGICAL FERTILISATION): this sense is about soil and plant nutrition, not about egg or ovule development.
常見錯誤
3. the process in which a male sex cell (sperm or pollen) and a female sex cell (eg
the process in which a male sex cell (sperm or pollen) and a female sex cell (egg or ovule) fuse together, causing a new living thing such as a plant, animal, or human to begin forming.
In humans, fertilisation usually takes place in the fallopian tube within hours of ovulation.
collocation: fertilisation takes place / occurs
After fertilisation, the single-celled zygote begins to divide and travel towards the uterus.
after fertilisation + outcome (zygote develops)
Anjali learned in biology class that fertilisation in frogs happens outside the female's body.
In many flowering plants, fertilisation occurs after a pollen tube grows down the style to reach the ovule.
- conception
specifically refers to the moment a human or animal egg is fertilised; more common in everyday and medical contexts
- fecundation
highly formal and technical synonym; very rare outside specialised biology texts
- pollination
only for plants; refers to the transfer of pollen, which is a step before fertilisation in flowering plants
文法句型
fertilisation of + noun phrase
fertilisation by + noun phrase
fertilisation takes place / occurs
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (APPLICATION OF FERTILISER): this sense is purely biological and involves sex cells, not soil nutrients. In botany, the term also covers pollination followed by the fusion of pollen with ovules. Frequently used in compound nouns such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and self-fertilisation.