prolific

[ pruh-lif-ik ]
/ prəˈlɪf ɪk /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR prolific ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

producing offspring, young, fruit, etc., abundantly; highly fruitful: a prolific pear tree.
producing in large quantities or with great frequency; highly productive: a prolific writer.
profusely productive or fruitful (often followed by in or of): a bequest prolific of litigations.
characterized by abundant production: a prolific year for tomatoes.

Origin of prolific

First recorded in 1640–50, prolific is from the Medieval Latin word prōlificus fertile. See prolicide, -fic

OTHER WORDS FROM prolific

Words nearby prolific

proliferative fasciitis, proliferative gingivitis, proliferative inflammation, proliferative retinopathy, proliferous, prolific, proligerous, prolinase, proline, proline dipeptidase, proline iminopeptidase

Words related to prolificacy

abundance, potency, productivity, puberty, richness, productiveness, fecundity, gravidity, virility, fruitfulness, pregnancy, copiousness, luxuriance, pubescence, prolificness, prolificity

Example sentences from the Web for prolificacy

  • These are not so much specialised structure as courage, a good constitution, mental capacity and prolificacy.

    The Making of Species |Douglas Dewar

  • The advantages of prolificacy are so apparent that it is unnecessary to dilate upon them.

    The Making of Species |Douglas Dewar

British Dictionary definitions for prolificacy

prolific
/ (prəˈlɪfɪk) /

adjective

producing fruit, offspring, etc, in abundance
producing constant or successful results
(often foll by in or of) rich or fruitful

Derived forms of prolific

prolifically, adverb prolificness or prolificacy, noun

Word Origin for prolific

C17: from Medieval Latin prōlificus, from Latin prōlēs offspring