unfertilized

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled unfertilised

US /ʌnˈfɝːtəlaɪzd/ UK /ʌnˈfɜːtəlaɪzd/ See IPA manual

Freq #143875

Meanings

1

adj
biology: not fertilized by the fusion of male and female reproductive cells

A worker bee can develop from an unfertilized egg.
2

adj
agriculture: not treated with fertilizer or nutrients

The unfertilized plot produced fewer tomatoes than the treated plots.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · biology: not fertilized by... uninseminated

2 adj · agriculture: not treated... unmanured

Opposites

fertilized

Word family

Related forms fertilization egg parthenogenesisfertilizer

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

unfertilized egg
an egg that has not undergone fusion with a male reproductive cell

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Formed from un-, 'not,' + fertilized. Fertilize developed from fertile and has distinct reproductive and agricultural senses. Unfertilised is the standard British spelling.

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

markdown