Prolific
/prəˈlɪfɪk/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Prolific means producing many things, such as books, art, ideas, or children. It often describes a person, animal, or plant that creates a lot of output or results. This word shows that something or someone is very productive and active.
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Producing a large amount of work or results
- •The prolific artist painted over 100 pictures in one year.
- •She is a prolific writer who publishes several books every year.
- •The company is prolific in creating new technology products.
Producing many offspring or fruit
- •Rabbits are prolific animals, having many babies each season.
- •The prolific apple tree gave a big harvest this year.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'prolific' like 'many' or 'a lot,' but for creating or producing things, not just counting objects
- ✓Picture a tree full of fruits, giving many apples every season without stopping
- ✓It’s the feeling when a writer finishes many books quickly, or a painter makes many paintings
- ✓Sounds like 'PRO-lif-ic' → imagine a professional (PRO) who is full of life (LIF) and making many things
- ✓Think of famous authors like Agatha Christie, who was prolific because she wrote many stories
- ✓NOT like 'lazy' or 'quiet'—prolific means active and producing a lot
- ✓NOT like 'occasional' (happens sometimes)—prolific means often and in large amounts
- ✓NOT like 'unique' (one of a kind)—prolific means many, not just one
Try Other Words
- •Productive: making a lot of work or results (Use when focusing on useful or effective output)
- •Fruitful: producing good results or many fruits (Use especially for plants or success in efforts)
- •Creative: making new and original things (Use when focusing on new ideas or art, not just quantity)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: 'pro-' (forward, in favor of) + 'lific' from Latin 'proles' meaning offspring or descendants
- •Etymology: From Latin 'prolificus,' meaning producing offspring or fruit
- •Historical development: Originally used for animals and plants producing many babies or fruit, then extended to people producing many works or results
- •Modern usage: Used to describe artists, writers, inventors, or any person or thing that produces a large amount of output
- •Key insight: The word focuses on quantity and frequency of production, often in a positive sense
Reflect & Connect
•Can someone be too prolific, and how would this affect the quality of their work?
•How does being prolific in one area of life (like work) affect other parts of life, such as rest or relationships?
Fill in the blanks
1.A prolific writer usually ___ many books or articles in a short time because of their strong ___.
2.When an apple tree is prolific, it produces ___ fruit than a normal tree during the ___.
3.She is known as a prolific artist because she ___ paintings ___ every year.
4.Rabbits are prolific animals, so their population can ___ very quickly if there are no ___.
5.Unlike occasional creators, prolific people work ___ and produce ___ results.
6.The company became prolific after hiring new ___ who brought many ___ ideas.
7.Being prolific means not only creating a lot but often doing it with ___ and ___.