fertilizer
/'fə:tilaizə/
Definition
- Noun:
- A substance added to soil to increase its fertility: "Fertilizer" refers to any natural or chemical material that is applied to soil or plant tissues to supply essential nutrients for plant growth. Its primary purpose is to improve the fertility and productivity of the land.
Usage
"Fertilizer" is a mass noun (uncountable) when referring to the substance in general. It can be used as a countable noun when referring to different types or specific applications (e.g., "different fertilizers"). - Use it to discuss agricultural, gardening, or horticultural practices. - It is often modified by adjectives describing its type (e.g., organic, chemical, liquid, nitrogenous).
Examples
- General Use:
- The farmer spread fertilizer on the field before planting the corn.
- This soil is poor and needs more fertilizer.
- With Modifiers:
- Organic fertilizer, like compost, is better for the environment.
- They applied a slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.
Advanced Usage
- "To apply fertilizer": This is the standard phrase for putting fertilizer on soil or plants.
- It's important to apply fertilizer at the right time of year.
- "Fertilizer runoff": Refers to fertilizer that is carried away by water (e.g., rain, irrigation) from agricultural fields into rivers and lakes, often causing pollution.
- Fertilizer runoff can lead to algal blooms in waterways.
Variants and Related Words
- Fertilize (verb): To apply fertilizer to; to make fertile.
- You should fertilize your houseplants every month during the growing season.
- Fertilization (noun): The process of applying fertilizer; also, the biological process of fusion of gametes.
- Proper fertilization is key to a successful harvest. (agricultural context)
- Fertilizer spreader (noun): A machine or tool used to distribute fertilizer evenly.
- He loaded the fertilizer spreader and began working on the field.
Synonyms
- Plant food: A more general, sometimes commercial, term for substances that nourish plants.
- Manure: Animal dung used for fertilizing land. (This is a specific type of organic fertilizer.)
- Compost: Decayed organic material used as a fertilizer.
Antonyms
- Sterilant: A substance that destroys all living microorganisms, making soil infertile.
- Weedkiller/Herbicide: A substance used to destroy unwanted plants (weeds), not to promote growth.
Related Phrases and Compounds
- NPK fertilizer: A common type of fertilizer containing the three primary nutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K).
- Check the NPK ratio on the fertilizer bag to see if it's right for your plants.
- Fertilizer burn: Damage to plants caused by over-application of fertilizer, which can dehydrate plant tissues.
- The yellowing leaves are a sign of fertilizer burn.
Noun
-
any substance such as manure or a mixture of nitrates used to make soil more fertile
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ gần giống
Từ chứa "fertilizer"
Từ có nhắc đến "fertilizer"
