fertiliser

Forms

fertiliser^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French fertile + -iser.^[2][1][3][4] The adjective is from Latin fertilis (“fertile, productive”).^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Ronsard uses it in 1558, in the Exhortation pour la paix, for making land productive: la paix fertilisa les campaignes sterilles, “peace made the barren fields fertile”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The verb has been used in its literal and figurative senses since its first record.^[5] Bloch and Wartburg, the Grand Robert and the GLLF date it later, to 1564, the GLLF in Jean Thierry's dictionary.^[3][4][6] From it came, all in the literal sense, fertilisation (1764, Voltaire), fertilisant (1771), fertilisateur (1854, Nerval) and fertilisable (1865).^[5][3] Littré also records the reflexive se fertiliser “to become fertile”.^[7]

Timeline

• 1558 – Ronsard uses it in the Exhortation pour la paix.^[2][5]
• 1564 – Jean Thierry's dictionary records it.^[6]
• 1764 – Voltaire uses the noun fertilisation.^[5][3]
• 1771 – The adjective fertilisant appears.^[5]
• 1865 – Fertilisable is recorded.^[5][3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To make land fertile, able to give rich crops: fertiliser un champ avec du compost.^[8][9][2]
2. (figurative) To make productive or fruitful.^[10][7]
3. (reflexive) Se fertiliser: to become fertile.^[7]

Word family

• fertilisation
• fertilisant
• fertilisateur
• fertilisable

Related words

• fertile
• fertilité
• infertile
• Latin fertilis

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ a b c d e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)