Fertility God
/fəˈtɪl.ə.ti ɡɑːd/noun
A deity believed to promote fertility, reproduction, agricultural abundance, or sexual potency.
Did you know?Many ancient fertility deities governed not only human reproduction but also rainfall, seed germination, livestock, and the seasonal renewal of nature.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bher-
“to carry or bear; the ancient root behind Latin ferre and English bear”
Classical Latin
Latin
fertilis
“fruitful, productive, fertile; literally associated with the capacity to bear”
Late Latin
Latin
fertilitas
“fruitfulness or fertility”
Old English
Old English
god
“a deity or supernatural being; a term descended from Proto-Germanic *gudą”
14th Century
English
fertility
“fruitfulness, especially the capacity to produce offspring or abundant growth”
Modern English
English
fertility god
“a deity associated with reproduction, agricultural abundance, or generative power”