fecundity
/fɪˈkʌndəti/ (bre, ipa) · /fɪˈkʌndəti/ (ame, ipa) · /fēˈkəndətē -dətē, -i/ (ame, mw)
fecundity — 名詞
1. the natural power of land, plants, animals, or people to produce many young, see
繁殖力；豐饒
土地、動植物或人多產的能力
the natural power of land, plants, animals, or people to produce many young, seeds, or crops — for example, soil that grows rich harvests year after year, or a hen that lays many eggs.
The fecundity of the Nile valley supported ancient Egyptian farming for centuries.
尼羅河谷的豐饒，撐起了古埃及數百年的農業。
the fecundity of [place]: land's power to grow crops
Karim was amazed by the fecundity of the rabbits on his uncle's farm.
Karim 對他叔叔農場裡兔子的繁殖力感到驚訝。
the fecundity of [animal group]: power to bear many young
Scientists study the fecundity of salmon by counting the eggs each female lays.
科學家透過計算每尾雌魚的產卵數，研究鮭魚的繁殖力。
Centuries of farming have slowly reduced the fecundity of the soil in this region.
數百年的耕作，慢慢降低了這個地區土壤的豐饒度。
Gabriela praised the fecundity of her grandmother, who raised nine children on a small farm.
Gabriela 讚嘆祖母的多產，她在一座小農場裡養大了九個孩子。
- fertility
much more common everyday word; same meaning but used in ordinary speech, not just formal writing
- fruitfulness
literary; often used of land and plants rather than animals or people
- productiveness
broader — covers any kind of high output, not only biological reproduction
- infertility
the inability to reproduce; common everyday term
- barrenness
literary; usually of land that grows nothing or a person who cannot have children
文法句型
the fecundity of [N]
用法筆記
Subject is usually land, soil, an animal group, or, more rarely, a human family. Almost always uncountable and preceded by 'the fecundity of …'. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about ideas and creative work, not biology.
常見錯誤
2. the impressive ability of a person, mind, or period of history to produce many n
創作力；多產
頭腦或時代不斷產出新點子的能力
the impressive ability of a person, mind, or period of history to produce many new ideas, works of art, books, or inventions — for example, an author who writes dozens of strong novels, or a decade that gives birth to new schools of painting.
Critics often praise the fecundity of Picasso's imagination during his early Paris years.
評論家經常讚揚 Picasso 在巴黎早期時，想像力的旺盛創作力。
the fecundity of [N]'s imagination: rich creative output
Wren's fecundity as a children's author surprised even her publisher, who expected one book a year.
Wren 身為童書作家的多產，連出版社都感到意外，本來只預期她一年一本。
applied to an individual creator: many works produced
The fecundity of the 1960s music scene gave the world rock, soul, and folk in just a few years.
一九六〇年代音樂圈的旺盛創作力，短短幾年內就為世界帶來搖滾、靈魂和民謠樂。
Joon admired the fecundity of his teacher's mind, which produced fresh ideas in every class.
Joon 很佩服老師頭腦的創作力，每堂課都能丟出新點子。
The young architect's fecundity slowed after she had to manage a large office.
那位年輕建築師接手管理大型事務所之後，創作力就明顯下降了。
- creativity
the everyday word; covers the same idea but without 'fecundity's' emphasis on large quantity of output
- productivity
neutral and common; focuses on amount produced rather than quality or originality
- inventiveness
stresses the originality of the ideas rather than the number of them
- sterility
formal; used of a mind or period that produces nothing original
- unproductiveness
neutral, everyday word for failing to produce results
文法句型
the fecundity of [N]'s mind/imagination/work
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person's mind/imagination, a creator's career, or a historical period. The output is non-biological — ideas, books, art, music, inventions. Distinguish from sense 1, which refers to biological reproduction of crops, animals, or children.