Fertilising

/ˈfɜː.tɪl.aɪ.zɪŋ/ verb

Definition

The process or act of adding nutrients to soil or combining reproductive cells; currently doing or habitually doing this action.

Etymology

Present participle of fertilise, formed by adding '-ing' to the verb stem. This creates both a gerund (noun form of a verb) and a present participle (verb form showing ongoing action).

Kelly Says

The '-ing' form is magical in English because it works as both a noun and adjective—'fertilising soil' shows it as a verb, but 'fertilising agents' uses it as an adjective, letting one word do double duty.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.