fertilizer
gb/fˈɚtɪlˌaɪzɚ/ us/fˈɚtɪlˌaɪzɚ/
B1
English
~ 6100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
substance added to help plants grow
A natural or chemical substance that people put on soil or plants to give them food and help them grow better.
Usage pattern:
[someone] applies [fertilizer] to [soil/plants]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "fertilizer" with "pesticide." A fertilizer feeds plants and helps them grow, while a pesticide kills insects or other pests. Some learners also think fertilizer is only chemical, but it can be natural (like compost or manure) or synthetic.
Synonyms
plant food (Common and simple term, especially in gardening; often used for packaged products for houseplants or lawns.)
|
manure (Refers specifically to animal waste used as a natural fertilizer; more specific and often seen as more traditional or organic.)
Antonyms
pollutant (A substance that harms the environment or living things, rather than nourishing plants like a fertilizer does.)
Collocations
chemical fertilizer
|organic fertilizer
|apply fertilizer
|nitrogen fertilizer
|fertilizer use
|fertilizer runoff
Themes
agriculture
|gardening
|environment
|science
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Farmers are using less chemical fertilizer to reduce water pollution.
- You should apply the fertilizer in early spring for the best results.
- This organic fertilizer is made from composted food waste and leaves.
- Too much fertilizer can burn the roots of your plants.
- The company produces fertilizer for both large farms and home gardens.
Learner examples
- We put fertilizer on the grass to make it greener.
- She bought a bag of fertilizer for her tomato plants.
- The farmer uses organic fertilizer on his field.
- This plant looks weak; maybe it needs more fertilizer.
- Do not use too much fertilizer on small plants.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fertilizer
IPA
GB/fˈɚtɪlˌaɪzɚ/
US/fˈɚtɪlˌaɪzɚ/
Syllables & stress
fer - til - izer (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fer)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: fertilizer
- Plural: fertilizer, fertilizers
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.