Definition of fertilization

The word "fertilization" has its origins in the Latin words "fertilis," meaning "productive" or "fruitful," and the suffix "-ation," which forms a noun indicating a process or action. The term was first used in the 17th century to describe the process of providing nutrients to soil to promote the growth of plants. In the context of biology, the term "fertilization" was later used to describe the process by which an egg cell (ovum) is penetrated by a sperm cell, leading to the formation of a fertilized egg or zygote. This process is typically initiated by the fusion of the cell membranes of the sperm and egg cells, followed by the fusion of the genetic material from each cell. Overall, the concept of fertilization has been studied extensively in various fields, including agriculture, botany, microbiology, and medicine, and continues to be an important area of research and discovery.