fertilise – to cause gametes to fuse, forming a zygote and beginning the development of a new organism

(Pronounced fur-tih-lyz)

To remember the meaning of fertilise, use the following mnemonic:

To fertilise the field, the scientist formed a team of goats (forming zygotes) to help begin the development of new crops.

To fertilise is to fuse a male sex cell (gamete) with a female sex cell to form a zygote. Fertilisation in animal occurs when a sperm cell from the male joins with an egg cell (ovum) from the female, combining their genetic material so that the resulting zygote contains DNA from both parents. 

In plants, fertilisation occurs when pollen (containing the male gamete) reaches the ovule (containing the female gamete), usually after pollination. This process is essential for sexual reproduction as it creates genetic variation in offspring and marks the beginning of a new organism's development.