seed

1 of 2

noun

ˈsēd

plural seed or seeds

Synonyms of seed next

a(1)

: the grains or ripened ovules of plants used for sowing

(2)

: the fertilized ripened ovule of a flowering plant containing an embryo and capable normally of germination to produce a new plant

broadly : a propagative plant structure (such as a spore or small dry fruit)

: a propagative animal structure:

(1)

: milt, semen

(2)

: a small egg (as of an insect)

(3)

: a developmental form of a lower animal suitable for transplanting

specifically : spat

: the condition or stage of bearing seed

in seed

: progeny

: a source of development or growth : germ

sowed the seeds of discord

: something (such as a tiny particle or a bubble in glass) that resembles a seed in shape or size

: a competitor who has been seeded in a tournament

the top seed

seed adjective

seeded

ˈsē-dəd

adjective

seedless

ˈsēd-ləs

adjective

seedlike

ˈsēd-ˌlīk

adjective

seed

2 of 2

verb

seeded; seeding; seeds

intransitive verb

: to bear or shed seed

: to sow seed : plant

transitive verb

: to plant seeds in : sow

seed a lawn with grass

: to furnish with something that causes or stimulates growth or development

: inoculate

: to supply with nuclei (as of crystallization or condensation)

especially : to treat (a cloud) with solid particles to convert water droplets into ice crystals in an attempt to produce precipitation

: to cover or permeate by or as if by scattering something

seeded [the] sea-lanes with thousands of magnetic mines—

Otto Friedrich

: plant sense 1a

: to extract the seeds from (fruit)

: to schedule (tournament players or teams) so that superior ones will not meet in early rounds

: to rank (a contestant) relative to others in a tournament on the basis of previous record

the top-seeded tennis star

Phrases

go to seed or run to seed

: to develop seed

: decay, deteriorate

Did you know?

Do you cede or seed control?

Cede means "to yield or grant typically by treaty." Most of the verb senses of seed are concerned with planting seeds (either literal, as of plants, or figuratively, as of ideas). However, the word may also be used to mean "to schedule (tournament players or teams) so that superior ones will not meet in early rounds." If you relinquish or yield something you are ceding it, and if you are organizing the participants in a tournament you are seeding them.

Examples of seed in a Sentence

Noun a packet of sunflower seeds He planted the seeds three inches apart. She raked the grass seed into the soil. The top seed won the tournament. Our team is the number one seed. She is ranked as the third seed. Verb We seeded the field with corn. These plants will seed late in the fall. After you wash and seed the peppers you can chop them.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

When these seeds are in short supply, dormice don’t mate, perhaps because their young, born only three months before hibernation time, wouldn’t be able to fatten up quickly enough to survive. —

Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Apr. 2024 Saint Mary’s, a No. 5 seed, fell to No. 12 Grand Canyon in the first round last month. —

Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 29 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for seed

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'seed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English sǣd; akin to Old High German sāt seed, Old English sāwan to sow — more at sow

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Time Traveler

The first known use of seed was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Seed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seed. Accessed 3 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

seed

1 of 2 noun

ˈsēd

plural seed or seeds

: the grains of plants used for sowing

: a fertilized ripened ovule of a flowering plant that contains an embryo and is capable of producing a new plant

also : a plant structure (as a spore or small dry fruit) capable of producing a new plant

: semen

also : milt

: the children of one individual

the seed of David

: something from which growth takes place : germ

: a competitor who has been seeded in a tournament

the top seed

seed adjective

seeded

-əd

adjective

seedlike

-ˌlīk

adjective

seed

2 of 2 verb

: to produce or shed seeds

weeds that seed freely

: to plant seeds in : sow

seed a lawn with grass

: to treat (a cloud) with solid particles to convert water droplets into ice crystals in an attempt to produce rain

: to remove seeds from

: to rank (a player or team) in a tournament on the basis of previous record

was seeded second in the state tournament

Medical Definition

seed

1 of 3 noun

ˈsēd

plural seed or seeds

: the fertilized ripened ovule of a flowering plant containing an embryo and capable normally of germination to produce a new plant

broadly : a propagative plant structure (as a spore or small dry fruit)

: a propagative animal structure:

(1)

: milt, semen

(2)

: a small egg (as of an insect)

(3)

: a developmental form of a lower animal see seed tick

: a small usually glass and gold or platinum capsule used as a container for a radioactive substance (as radium or radon) to be applied usually interstitially in the treatment of cancer

implantation of radon seeds for bladder cancer

seed

2 of 3 intransitive verb

: to bear or shed seed

transitive verb

: to furnish with something that causes or stimulates growth or development

: inoculate

: to supply with nuclei (as of crystallization or condensation)

seed

3 of 3 adjective

: selected or used to produce a new crop or stock

seed virus

: left or saved for breeding

a seed population

Last Updated: 3 May 2024 - Updated example sentences

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seed

noun

verb

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Synonyms

Examples of seed in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near seed

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition