different between fertile vs plenteous

English

Etymology

Middle English, from French and Old French fertile, from Latin fertilis (“fruitful, fertile”), from fer? (“I bear, carry”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?f??ta?l/, /?f??t?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?f??t?l/, /?f??ta?l/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /?f??ta?l/

Adjective

fertile (comparative more fertile, superlative most fertile)

1. (of land etc) capable of growing abundant crops; productive
2. (biology) capable of reproducing; fecund, fruitful

3. (biology) capable of developing past the egg stage
4. (physics) Not itself fissile, but able to be converted into a fissile material by irradiation in a reactor.

   There are two basic fertile materials: uranium-238 and thorium-232.

5. (of an imagination etc) productive or prolific

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:productive
• fecund

Antonyms

• barren
• infertile

Related terms

• fertilisation, fertilization
• fertilise, fertilize
• fertiliser, fertilizer
• fertility, fertileness
• subfertile

Translations

Further reading

• fertile in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• fertile in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• fertile at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• firelet

French

Etymology

From Latin fertilem

Adjective

fertile (plural fertiles)

1. fertile

Further reading

• “fertile” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• flétrie
• flirtée

Italian

Etymology

From Latin fertilis, fertilem

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?f?r.ti.le/

Adjective

fertile (plural fertili)

1. fertile

   Antonym: infertile

Derived terms

• fertilizzare
• fertilmente

Related terms

• fertilità

See also

• fecondo

Further reading

• fertile in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Latin

Adjective

fertile

1. nominative neuter singular of fertilis
2. accusative neuter singular of fertilis
3. vocative neuter singular of fertilis

English

Etymology

From Middle English plentewos, plentevous, et al., circa 1300, from Old French plentiveus (“fertile, rich”) (early 13th century), from plentif (“abundant”), from plenté (“abundance”) (Modern French pleinté, English plenty), from Latin plenitatem, accusative of plenitas (“fullness”), from plenus (“complete, full”), from Proto-Indo-European *pl?h?nós (“full”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?pl?n.ti.?s/

Adjective

plenteous (comparative more plenteous, superlative most plenteous)

1. In plenty; abundant.

   His farm, though small, nevertheless allowed him a plenteous supply of healthy food.
2. (obsolete) Having plenty; abounding; rich.

   • The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods.

Related terms

• plenteously
• plenteousness
• plentiful
• plenty

References