different between proliferative vs fruitful

English

Etymology

proliferate +? -ive

Adjective

proliferative (comparative more proliferative, superlative most proliferative)

1. (not comparable, cytology) of or pertaining to proliferation, especially of cells
   • 1988, Nydia G. Testa & Robert Peter Gale, Hematopoiesis: Long-Term Effects of Chemotherapy and Radiation, Informa Health Care, ?ISBN, page 327:

     ...stem cells may thus lose some of their proliferative potential and thus 'age'...

   • 2000, Yvonne A. & Christopher R. Barnett, Aging: Methods and Protocols, Humana Press, ?ISBN, page 40:

     cultures of cells may be considered to have reached the end of their proliferative lifespan when the cell number fails to double.

   • 2007, Eduardo M. Torres et al., "Effects of Aneuploidy on Cellular Physiology and Cell Division in Haploid Yeast," Science 317(5840), 904, page 916:

     We conclude that aneuploidy causes not only a proliferative disadvantage but also a set of phenotypes...

2. proliferating; tending to proliferate
   • 1940, Albert B. Sabin and Joel Warren, "The Curative Effect of Certain Gold Compounds on Experimental Proliferative, Chronic Arthritis in Mice," Journal of Bacteriology 40(6):

     ...they give rise to a progressive, proliferative, chronic arthritis.

Derived terms

Noun

proliferative (plural proliferatives)

1. Such a cell

See also

• proliferational

Italian

Adjective

proliferative

1. feminine plural of proliferativo

English

Alternative forms

• fruitfull (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English fruitefull, equivalent to fruit +? -ful. Compare Dutch vruchtvol, German fruchtvoll, Swedish fruktfull.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?f?u?tf?l/
• Hyphenation: fruit?ful

Adjective

fruitful (comparative more fruitful, superlative most fruitful)

1. Favourable to the growth of fruit or useful vegetation; not barren.

   Synonym: fertile

   Antonyms: barren, infertile, unfruitful
2. Being productive in any sense; yielding benefits.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:productive

   Antonym: unfruitful

Synonyms

• fruitious (obsolete)

Related terms

• fruitfully
• fruitfulness

Translations

References

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