FECUNDITY


Meaning of FECUNDITY in English

fēˈkəndəd.ē, -dətē, -i noun

( -es )

Etymology: Middle English fecundite, from Latin fecunditat-, fecunditas, from fecundus fecund + -itat-, -itas -ity

1.

a. : the quality or the power of producing fruit especially in abundance : fruitfulness

the fecundity of the earth

b. : productive quality or power

the fecundity of the pocket-book publishers — James Rorty

c. : richness of imagination or invention

the fecundity of Shakespeare's genius

2.

a. : the power of producing offspring especially in large numbers or the quality that conduces to this : the potential reproductive capacity (as of a hen) as measured by the individual production of mature eggs and sperm

b. : the power of germinating (as in seeds)

c. : the power or quality of increasing rapidly in number or quantity or of being so increased in number or quantity

3. archaic : the power of making fruitful or fertile

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.