fruitfuladj.
/ˈfruːtf(ᵿ)l/, U.S. /ˈfrutf(ə)l/ 1. Productive of fruit. Of trees, etc.: Bearing plenty of fruit. Of soils, etc.: Fertile. Of rain, etc.: Causing fertility.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > productiveness > [adjective]
bearinglOE
fruitfula1300
plenteousc1325
fructuousa1382
birthful?c1475
fertile1481
broodya1522
yielding1556
foisonous1570
procreant1588
generative1597
yieldy1598
childing1600
seedful1605
thankful1610
foisonable1613
prolifical1615
fecundous1630
feracious1637
prolific1653
fetiferous1654
floriferous1656
productive1672
fœtant1678
spawning1682
uberousa1706
populous?1789
productible1830
grateful1832
resultful1833
genetic1838
tumid1840
polyphorous1858
generant1875
proliferent1920
the world > plants > by growth or development > defined by good growth > [adjective] > fruitful or fertile
fruitfula1300
fructive14..
frugiferous1633
pregnant1669
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > earth or soil > soil qualities > [adjective] > fertile or rich
goodOE
fruitfula1300
gladc1420
unlean?1440
richa1522
batwell1534
battle?1542
luxuriant?c1550
yielding1556
gleby1566
yieldable1577
hearty1580
yieldy1598
liking1600
well-natured1600
lusty1601
growthsome1610
thankful1610
pregnant1615
in heart1626
grateful1832
fatty1855
the world > plants > part of plant > reproductive part(s) > fruit or reproductive product > plant that bears fruit > [adjective] > bearing fruit or fruitful
fruitfula1300
birthel-treea1325
fructified14..
fructive14..
fructuosec1440
fructifiable1623
fructiferous1632
frugiferous1633
frugiferent1656
pregnant1669
prolific1738
fruiting1778
fruited1786
fruitening1845
fructificative1887
the world > plants > by growth or development > [adjective] > characterized by or causing growth
vegetating1605
fruitful1649
germinative1707
the world > plants > by growth or development > defined by good growth > [adjective] > causing fertility or fruitfulness
fruitful1649
a1300 E.E. Psalter cxlviii. 9 Tries fruitefulle and cedres alle.
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) xiv. 61 Þir hilles er riȝt fruytfull.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Neh. ix. 25 Vynyardes, oyl~garden, and many frutefull trees.
1563 W. Fulke Goodle Gallerye Causes Meteors v. f. 63 Claye..is not so fruitfull as marle.
1597 W. Shakespeare Richard III v. ii. 8 The..bore, That spoild your somer-fieldes, and fruitfull vines.
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World II. xix. vii. 23 Such seeds..must be all throughly dried before they be..fruitfull.
1649 Bp. J. Taylor Great Exemplar iii. xiv. 49 The fruitfull Nilus..filling all the trenches to make a plenty of corn and fruits.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World x. 293 The Tree hath usually 3 fruitful Branches.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics i, in tr. Virgil Wks. 56 Heav'n invok'd with Vows for fruitful Rain. View more context for this quotation
1739 Lady Pomfret Let. I. xxii. 84 A very steep but fruitful hill..the vineyards.. crown the very summit.
1859 W. M. Thackeray Virginians xxiv His estate..was as large as Kent; and..infinitely more fruitful.
2.
a. Productive of offspring; not barren; producing offspring in abundance, prolific.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > biological processes > procreation or reproduction > [adjective]
bearingOE
genderinga1398
multiplyinga1400
fecundc1420
broodya1522
fruitful1526
breeding1552
procreant1588
procreative1598
increasing1600
broodious1602
prolifical1608
conceptiousa1616
plenteousa1616
conceptive1630
feracious1637
propagatory1647
prolific1650
proliferous1654
propagative1654
progenial1664
teemful1755
progenitive1769
breedy1824
proligerous1836
progenital1837
philoprogenitive1857
eugenesic1864
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. FFFvii Lya was the more frutful and had more chyldren than Rachel.
?1527 L. Andrewe tr. Noble Lyfe Bestes sig. qiv A Bremon is a fruteful fisshe that hathe moche sede.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry iv. f. 162 Some [hens] are so fruitefull, as they kil them selues with laying.
1611 Bible (King James) Gen. i. 22 God blessed them, saying, Be fruitfull, and multiply.
1667 Duchess of Newcastle Life Duke of Newcastle i. 55 A young Woman, that might prove fruitful to him.
a1715 Bp. G. Burnet Hist. Own Time (1724) I. 563 The fruitfullest marriage that has been known in our age.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth VIII. 43 Nature..has rendered some animals surprizingly fruitful.
1869 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest (1876) III. xii. 111 That marriage proved happy and fruitful.
1871 T. R. Jones Gen. Outl. Animal Kingdom (ed. 4) 367 The queen bee, when deprived of her wings before any communication with the male has taken place, will nevertheless lay fruitful eggs.
b. Astrology. Favourable to fecundity.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the universe > heavenly body > as influence on mankind > [adjective] > fruitful
prolifical1647
fruitful1721
1721 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. Fruitful Signs, [in Astrology] are the Signs Gemini, Cancer and Pisces.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > sufficient quantity, amount, or degree > abundance > [adjective]
goodeOE
broadOE
fullOE
large?c1225
rifec1225
fulsomea1325
abundanta1382
plenteousa1382
copiousc1384
plentifula1400
ranka1400
aboundc1425
affluentc1425
aboundable?1440
seedy1440
manyfulc1450
ample1472
olda1500
richa1500
flowing1526
fertilent1535
wallingc1540
copy1546
abounding1560
fat1563
numbrous1566
good, great store1569
round1592
redundant1594
fruitful1604
cornucopian1609
much1609
plenty?a1610
pukka1619
redundant1621
uberant1622
swelling1628
uberous1633
numerousa1635
superfluent1648
full tide1649
lucky1649
redounding1667
numerose1692
bumper1836
prolific1890
proliferous1915
1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet i. ii. 80 The fruitfull riuer in the eye. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Timon of Athens (1623) v. ii. 35 With a recompence more fruitfull Then their offence can weigh downe. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) iv. iii. 150 One fruitful Meale would set mee too't. View more context for this quotation
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics ii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 77 Harvests heavy with their fruitful weight, Adorn our Fields. View more context for this quotation
4. transferred and figurative.† a. Productive of (material things), abounding in. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > sufficient quantity, amount, or degree > abundance > [adjective] > abundantly produced or producing
fecundc1400
facund?1504
bountifula1538
redundant?1611
fertilea1616
fruitful1629
prolific1665
productive1672
spawning1682
tousy1895
1629 tr. S. Pelegromius Descr. S'hertogenbosh 1 This Boscage was..fruitfull of wild Deere.
1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 328 The whole Region is very fruitful of Barren Mountains.
b. With reference to immaterial things: Prolific; abundantly productive. Const. in, of.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > productiveness > [adjective] > of career, genius, etc.
fruitful1535
the world > relative properties > quantity > sufficient quantity, amount, or degree > abundance > [adjective] > plentiful or fertile
fertile1481
fruitful1535
milch1604
succulent1626
plump1635
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Coloss. i. A To be frutefull in all good workes.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost iii. 337 Golden days, fruitful of golden deeds. View more context for this quotation
1674 A. Wood Life & Times (1892) II. 284 Martock in com. Somerset, ever fruitfull in good wits.
1744 J. Armstrong Art of preserving Health ii. 51 We curse not wine: The vile excess we blame; More fruitful, than th' accumulated board Of pain and misery.
1826 T. I. Wharton in Mem. Hist. Soc. Pennsylvania I. 134 His travels are fruitful of information.
1843 W. H. Prescott Hist. Conquest Mexico III. vi. i. 15 His fruitful genius suggested an expedient.
1846 H. H. Wilson Hist. Brit. India 1805–35 II. x. 406 A fruitful subject of contention.
1876 G. O. Trevelyan Life & Lett. Macaulay I. v. 289 The main incidents of that Session, so fruitful in great measures.
1885 Public Opinion 9 Jan. 37/2 Prince Albert Victor..has probably a long and fruitful career before him.
5. Productive of good results; beneficial, profitable, remunerative. Now only of actions, qualities, or the like; formerly also of concrete things.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > [adjective]
fremefulc1000
i-duȝea1250
hendyc1275
begetela1325
profitablea1325
speedful1340
worth1340
speedyc1380
behoveful1382
fructuousc1386
fruitfulc1386
vailable1390
availantc1420
availingc1420
commodious1420
commodous?1440
available1474
behovablea1475
advantageousc1485
profitly1485
beneficiala1513
advantageable1548
sanative1548
gainful1555
vantageable1570
vantageous?1572
gainy1573
comfortable1576
conducent1578
advantageous1591
bootful1594
availful1598
conducible?1611
commoditous1621
conducing1624
conduceful1635
proficuousa1642
proficaciousa1660
beneficenta1676
conducive1710
benefactory1744
benignant1791
sanatorya1832
beneficiary1836
c1386 G. Chaucer Parson's Tale ⁋36 And this is fruitful penance ayenst tho three thinges, in which we wrathen our Lord Jesu Christ.
c1450 Jacob's Well (1900) 228 Ydelnesse & ese, wyth-oute fruytfull occupacyoun.
?1504 W. Atkinson tr. Thomas à Kempis Ful Treat. Imytacyon Cryste (Pynson) i. xxv. 178 Holye redynge of frutefull doctrine.
1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique ii. lxi. 401 The fruitfullest thing that can be kept about a countrie house is Bees.
1640 J. Yorke Union of Honour 4 Robert with his followers obtained a fruitfull possession in those parts.
1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 303. ¶4 Instances of the same great and fruitful Invention.
1867 A. Barry Life & Wks. Sir C. Barry ix. 303 It had the opportunities of rapid and fruitful exercise.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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