Fertilize: meaning, definitions and examples

Used specifically in the context of agriculture and gardening to describe adding nutrients to soil to help plants grow.

• Farmers often fertilize their fields in the spring
• She decided to fertilize her garden with organic compost

Can be used in both agricultural/gardening contexts and figuratively to mean improving the quality or value of something.

• We need to enrich the soil before planting the vegetables
• Traveling can enrich your life experience

Often used in the context of providing substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition. It has a broader, more holistic meaning than 'feed'.

• Parents should nourish their children with not just food, but also love and education
• You must nourish the plants with regular watering and sunlight

Best used when talking about giving food to people, animals, or occasionally plants. In agriculture, it typically refers to providing food for livestock rather than plants.

• She needs to feed the baby at regular intervals
• They feed the chickens every morning

Can also refer to the biological process of fusion of male and female gametes.

• The pollen from the male flower will fertilize the ovules of the female flower.
• Fertilize the egg first before it can start developing into an embryo.

Commonly used when referring to making a female pregnant; can have negative connotations if used inappropriately.

• The mare was successfully impregnated by the stallion.
• Artificially impregnating animals has become a standard practice in breeding programs.

Typically used in medical or veterinary contexts, referring to the deliberate introduction of sperm into the female reproductive system.

• The clinic offers to inseminate women who are struggling with infertility issues.
• Veterinarians often inseminate livestock to improve breeding success rates.

Specifically refers to the process of transferring pollen from the male part of a plant to the female part, often done by insects, wind, or humans.

• Bees are crucial because they help pollinate many of the crops we eat.
• Farmers sometimes need to manually pollinate their plants to ensure fruit production.