fertilisation

Forms

fertilisation f (plural fertilisations)^[1]

Etymology

It is from French fertiliser + -ation.^[2][3][1][4] The verb, recorded from 1558, is formed on fertile,^[5] which is from Latin fertilis (“fertile, fruitful”), a word Picoche places in the family of ferō (“to bear, to carry”).^[6] Picoche dates the noun to the 17th century, while the TLFi and the GLLF give 1764.^[6][2][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1764 in Charles Bonnet's Contemplation de la nature, cited by Littré, for the action of making land fertile.^[2][7][8]

Semantic evolution

It was formed on the literal sense of fertiliser, making soil productive, and belongs with fertilisant (1771) and fertilisable (1865).^[5] In modern agriculture it covers the techniques of manuring meant to keep or raise the fertility of a soil.^[9][10] The TLFi records extended uses such as the natural fertilisation of the oceans,^[2] and in biology Larousse gives a technical sense for the processes of fecundation beyond the union of the male and female nuclei.^[9]

Timeline

• 1764 – Charles Bonnet uses fertilisation.^[2][7]
• 1771 – The adjective fertilisant is recorded.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. The action of making land fertile: la fertilisation des sols.^[2][10][4]
2. (agriculture) The set of manuring techniques that keep or raise the fertility of a soil.^[9]
3. (by extension) Enrichment of a medium such as the sea with nutrients.^[2]
4. (biology) In fertilization, the processes other than the union of the male and female pronuclei.^[9]

Related words

• fertiliser
• fertile
• fertilité
• fertilisant
• fertilisable
• Latin fertilis

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
7. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert