Pollinate: Definition, Usage & Examples Explained

Meaning 1：fertilize flowers (pollinate)

pollinate 🔊

/ˈpɒlɪneɪt/

vt.

To move pollen from the male part of a flower to the female part, so that the plant can make seeds and fruits.

Pollinate definition illustrated by a bee transferring pollen on a lavender flower

fertilize flowers 🔊

➕

/ˈfɜːtɪlaɪz ˈflaʊəz/

vt.

The process of transferring pollen grains from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma, enabling fertilization and the production of seeds.

📁 Category：Botany Research 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'pollen' (fine flour, dust) + verb suffix '-ate', meaning 'to cover with pollen'.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a bee carrying a tiny POLLEN PLATE to a flower.

📖 Example

Bees pollinate the bright yellow sunflowers in the summer garden. 🔊 Bees fertilize the bright yellow sunflowers in the summer garden.

🔗 Collocations

pollinate crops – to fertilize agricultural plants

pollinate artificially – to perform fertilization by human means, not by insects or wind

pollinate flowers – to fertilize blossoms

🔄 Synonyms

fertilize (vt.) – To make a plant or egg cell capable of developing by introducing pollen or sperm.

cross-pollinate (vt.) – To pollinate a flower with pollen from a different plant of the same species.

inseminate (vt.) – To introduce semen or pollen into; a more technical term often used in biology.

🚫 Antonyms

sterilize (vt.) – To make incapable of producing fruit or seeds; to remove pollen or reproductive organs.

🌱 Derivatives

pollination (n.) – The act or process of pollinating a flower.

pollinator (n.) – An agent that pollinates flowers, such as a bee, bird, or the wind.

📖 Cultural Story

The term entered English in the 18th century from Latin 'pollen'. Its scientific use grew with the study of botany and agriculture. Today, it's central to discussions about ecosystem health, as the decline of natural pollinators like bees poses a significant threat to global food production.