ETYM Latin fertilitas: cf. French fertilité.
The state of being fertile; capable of producing offspring; SYN. fecundity.
An organism's ability to reproduce, as distinct from the rate at which it reproduces (fecundity). Individuals become infertile (unable to reproduce) when they cannot generate gametes (eggs or sperm) or when their gametes cannot yield a viable embryo after fertilization.
birth rate · birthrate · fecundity · fertility rate · natalit · prolificacy · rankness · richness