Definition of "fertilization" []

• The act or process of initiating biological reproduction by insemination or pollination. (noun)
• The union of male and female gametes to form a zygote. (noun)
• The act or process of applying a fertilizer. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "There was one small problem – the policy was widely interpreted to mean all ocean fertilization is bad, which then prevented small scale experiments as part of IPY."
• "Ocean fertilization is like the climate equivalent to liposuction."
• "Ron Stoddart with Nightlight Christian Adoptions, which filed the suit and helps with the adoption of human embryos that are being stored in fertilization clinics, said the case promises to be a long and involved process."