self-fertilizing
|self-fer-ti-liz-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˌsɛlfˈfɝtɪlaɪzɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˌsɛlfˈfɜːtɪlaɪzɪŋ/
(self-fertilize)
make fertile by oneself
Etymology
'self-fertilizing' is a Modern English formation combining the prefix 'self-' (from Old English 'self', meaning 'oneself' or 'by oneself') with the verb 'fertilize'. 'Fertilize' comes into English via French and Late Latin from Latin 'fertilis' meaning 'fruitful'.
'fertilis' (Latin, 'fruitful') > Late Latin/French forms (e.g. 'fertiliser') > English verb 'fertilize' (early modern English). The prefix 'self-' is Old English in origin; the compound 'self-fertilize' and the adjective 'self-fertilizing' are Modern English coinages used to express fertilization carried out by the organism itself.
Originally Latin 'fertilis' meant 'fruitful' or 'bearing fruit'; over time the verb 'fertilize' acquired the meaning 'to make fertile' or 'to cause to reproduce'. With the addition of 'self-' the meaning narrowed to 'fertilize oneself' or 'capable of self-fertilization'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
present participle of 'self-fertilize' (used as a verb form meaning 'fertilizing oneself' or 'causing to be fertilized by oneself').
In controlled experiments the hermaphroditic snails were observed self-fertilizing.
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Adjective 1
capable of fertilizing itself; describing an organism (often a plant) that can produce seeds or offspring without fertilization by another individual.
Many herbaceous plants are self-fertilizing and can set seed without pollen from another plant.
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Last updated: 2026/01/10 20:26