fertility

noun

fer·​til·​i·​ty (ˌ)fər-ˈti-lə-tē How to pronounce fertility (audio)
Synonyms of fertilitynext
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.
During her interview with Zach Sang on The Zach Sang Show, the 46-year-old singer, whose new album Good Grief is out now, spoke about pursuing fertility treatments. — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 The fertility clinic itself may be willing to offer discounts or payment plans, and there are various organizations that offer financial assistance and even grants or scholarships. — Becca Stanek, TheWeek, 31 Aug. 2026 Egg freezing is a fertility-preservation procedure in which eggs are retrieved from the ovaries, frozen and stored for possible future use. — Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 Birth rates are increasing very slightly, but even a radical increase in fertility won’t solve Korea’s problem in the near-term, as any babies born now won’t be of working age for at least two decades. — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026 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

Rhymes for fertility

See All Rhymes for fertility

Browse Nearby Words

fertile soil
fertility
fertility cult
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fertility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fertility. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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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

More from Merriam-Webster on fertility

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fertility

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fertility

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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