fertility

noun

fer·​til·​i·​ty (ˌ)fər-ˈti-lə-tē How to pronounce fertility (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being fertile
2
: the birth rate of a population

Examples of fertility in a Sentence

She studied the effects of pollution on the fertility of the local fish population. The doctor ordered a test of his fertility. The area is known for its soil fertility. the fertility of his imagination
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.
European Sperm Bank — which recruits sperm donors in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, according to its website — said that more than 67 kids were conceived using the donor’s sperm, and that all relevant fertility clinics were alerted to the situation. Bailey Richards, People.com, 25 May 2025 Related article The Palm Springs fertility clinic bombing cut off critical power to incubating embryos. Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 25 May 2025 Less than a week after the explosion destroyed his fertility clinic, Dr. Maher Abdallah vows to rebuild. Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025 The damaged front of the American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic stands following a bomb blast on May 17, 2025, in Palm Springs, California. Manisha Krishnan, Wired News, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for fertility

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fertility was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fertility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fertility. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Medical Definition

fertility

noun
fer·​til·​i·​ty (ˌ)fər-ˈtil-ət-ē How to pronounce fertility (audio)
plural fertilities
1
: the quality or state of being fertile
2
: the birth rate of a population
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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