fertilization

noun

fer·​til·​i·​za·​tion ˌfər-tə-lə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce fertilization (audio)
: an act or process of making fertile: such as
a
: the application of fertilizer
b(1)
: an act or process of fecundation, insemination, or pollination
—not used technically
(2)
: the process of union of two gametes whereby the somatic chromosome number is restored and the development of a new individual is initiated

Examples of fertilization in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fetal personhood would also likely eliminate, or at a minimum severely restrict, people who seek to start a family using surrogacy and in vitro fertilization. — Jim Defede, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026 Each round of in vitro fertilization, or IVF, is timed to a menstrual cycle, and doctors sometimes stop a round partway through, such as when the ovaries don’t respond as expected to medication. — Katherine Pukinskis, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026 Ocean iron fertilization grew from the idea that iron-rich dust blown across the oceans during past ice ages fed blooms of phytoplankton, helping to lower atmospheric CO₂. — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026 Humphries said her own experience with in vitro fertilization (IVF) and endometriosis forced difficult decisions about whether to spend available money on starting a family, medical needs or her athletic career. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fertilization

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1787, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fertilization was circa 1787

Phrases Containing fertilization

Rhymes for fertilization

See All Rhymes for fertilization

Browse Nearby Words

fertilizable
fertilization
fertilization cone
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fertilization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fertilization. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

fertilization

noun
fer·​til·​i·​za·​tion ˌfərt-ᵊl-ə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce fertilization (audio)
1
: an act or process of making fertile
especially : the application of fertilizer
2
: the union of male and female germ cells to form a zygote

Medical Definition

fertilization

noun
fer·​til·​iza·​tion
variants or British fertilisation
ˌfərt-ᵊl-ə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce fertilization (audio)
: an act or process of making fertile: as
a
: an act or process of fecundation, insemination, or impregnation
b
: the process of union of two gametes whereby the somatic chromosome number is restored and the development of a new individual is initiated
fertilize transitive verb
or British fertilise
ˈfərt-ᵊl-ˌīz How to pronounce fertilization (audio)
fertilized or British fertilised; fertilizing or British fertilising

More from Merriam-Webster on fertilization

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fertilization

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All