v. [f. L. fēcundāt- ppl. stem of fēcundāre, f. fēcundus fruitful.] trans. To render fruitful or productive.
a. 1631. Donne, Serm., xxxi. 304. He … actuates and fecundates our Soules.
1648. W. Montagu, Miscellanea Spiritualia: or Devout Essaies, II. iv. § 4 (1654), 77. These meditations … may properly refresh fecundate ev’n the best mould they fall upon, as well as soften and unparch the dryest and barrennest earth they pass over.
1850. Neale, Med. Hymns (1867), 110.
| Paradise is satiated, | |
| Blossoms, thrives, is fœcundated, | |
| With the waters irrigated | |
| From these rills that aye proceed. |
1863. Jrnl. Pract. Med. & Surg., Oct. Fresh researches may possibly fecundate this ingenious application.
1870. Lowell, Among my Bks., Ser. I. (1873), 203. Even the Trouvères … could fecundate a great poet like Chaucer.
absol. 1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., VII. vii. 352. It may be thought that Mandrakes may fecundate since Poppy hath obtained the Epithite of fruitfull.
b. esp. To make the female (individual or organ) fruitful by the introduction of the male element; to impregnate.
1721. R. Bradley, Wks. Nature, 31. Guarded with Petals or other Membranes; and yet are fecundated by the Dust of Male Flowers.
1781–7. R. Watson, Chem. Ess., V. 144. The eastern practice of fœcundating the female palm tree.
1796. De Serra, in Phil. Trans., LXXXVI. 503. The germen … is probably fecundated through its receptaculum.
1876. Darwin, Cross-fertil., i. 7. Nature has something more in view than that its own proper males should fecundate each blossom.
Hence Fecundated ppl. a. Fecundating vbl. sb. Fecundating ppl. a.
1796. De Serra, in Phil. Trans., LXXXVI. 502. Which opens itself afterwards to let loose the fecundated seeds.
1800. Med. Jrnl., III. 259. The heart is the first visible object in the punctum saliens of the fecundated egg.
1872. Peaslee, Ovar. Tumours, 12. The fecundated ovum increases in size while traversing the oviduct.
1677. Hale, The Primitive Origination of Mankind, IV. ii. 300. The Fecundating Principle.
1721. R. Bradley, Wks. Nature, 101. It must necessarily happen that the fecundating Spirit is dissipated.
1813. W. Taylor, in Monthly Rev., XC. 452. This fecundating force, this power of prompting efforts at reproduction is possessed by every writer.
1880. Huxley, Crayfish, i. 39. The fecundating material itself is a thickish fluid, which sets into a white solid after extrusion.
1884. Syd. Soc. Lex., Fecundating corpuscles, the spermatozoa. Fecundating dust, the pollen of plants.
