seed Definition
seed (sēd)
noun pl. seeds or seed
- the part of a flowering plant that typically contains the embryo with its protective coat and stored food and that can develop into a new plant under the proper conditions; fertilized and mature ovule
- loosely
- any part, as a bulb, tuber, etc., from which a new plant can grow a potato seed
- a small, usually hard, seedlike fruit
- seeds collectively
- the source, origin, or beginning of anything the seeds of revolt
- Archaic
- descendants; posterity
- ancestry
- in the development of certain lower animals, a form suitable for transplanting, as spat
- the seed-bearing stage or condition in seed
- spore ()
- sperm or semen
- something tiny, like a seed; esp.,
- ☆ a tiny crystal or other particle, as one added to a solution or liquid to start crystallization
- a tiny bubble, as a flaw in glassware
- ☆ Sports a seeded player
Etymology: ME sede < OE sæd, akin to Ger saat < IE base *sē(i)-, to cast, let fall > L serere, to sow, plant, sator, sower, semen, seed
transitive verb
- to plant with seeds
- to sow (seeds)
- to remove the seeds from
- ☆ to inject, fill, or scatter with seeds (see seed, sense ); esp., to sprinkle particles of dry ice, silver iodide, etc. into (clouds) in an attempt to induce rainfall
- to provide with the means or stimulus for growing or developing
- Sports
- to distribute the names of the ranking contestants in (the draw for position in a tournament) so that those with the greatest skill are not matched together in the early rounds
- to treat (a player) as a ranking contestant in this way
intransitive verb
- to form seeds; specif., to become ripe and produce seeds
- to go to seed; shed seeds
- to sow seeds
seed Related Forms
seed′ed adjective
seed′·less adjective
seed Idioms
go to seed
or run to seed- to shed seeds after the time of flowering or bearing has passed
- to become weak, useless, unprofitable, etc.; deteriorate
seed Synonyms
seed
n.
A botanical ovule].
Seeds and fruits commonly called seeds include: grain, kernel, berry, ear, corn, nut.
Something to be planted
grain, bulbs, cuttings, ears, tubers, roots; seed corn, seed potatoes, etc.
go<strong> or </strong>run to seed
seed Synonyms
seed Usage Examples
Converse of subject
propagate: It can be propagated by seed in the spring or divided in the autumn or spring.
Converse of object
- sow: To grow, sow seed indoors during the late winter.
- germinate: The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh also has facilities to germinate seed to test for viability.
- sprout: Shri Mataji says: " How much do you pay to the Mother Earth to sprout a seed?
- scatter: Rattle, rattle rattle, scattering scarlet poppy seeds.
Adjective modifier
- poppy: Rattle, rattle rattle, scattering scarlet poppy seeds.
- viable: Wych Elm produces a mass of viable seed with relatively young trees reach fruiting maturity.
- seventh: The seventh seeds now face Canada's 11th seeds Runa Reta & Matthew Giuffre for a place in the quarter-finals.
Modifies a noun
- pod: Our seed taken from ornamental plants exhibits bright scarlet seed pods on two year old or more plants.
- rape: These crops along Oil seed rape will be cut in August, combines everywhere will be working flat out to bring in the harvest.
- germination: My suggestions apply both to small scale seed germination & to keeping adult plants ticking over in UK winter.
- dispersal: Persistence and Spread: There is no obvious seed dispersal mechanism.
- packet: Before planting, have the children figure the area and read seed packets for spacing requirements.
- tray: Seed trays are good enough for plants that you are beginning with.
Noun used with modifier
- sesame: Grind toasted sesame seeds to a meal in a electric blender.
- sunflower: Sunflower seeds reduce cravings for nicotine by filling nicotine receptor sites.
- mustard: Mustard seeds are available from Philip Harris, garden centers or health food shops.
- pumpkin: What is it about pumpkin seeds - pinging off everywhere!
- cumin: Add tomato paste, vegetable pulp, chopped onion, chopped celery, and cumin seeds.
- weed: The next hurdle to overcome is the weeds seeds.
Browse dictionary entries near seed
- ‹ seecatch
- ‹ Seebeck effect
- ‹ see to
- ‹ see-through
- ‹ see off
- ‹ see fit to
- ‹ see about
- ‹ see
- ‹ sedum
- ‹ sedulous
- seed beetle ›
- seed coat ›
- seed coral ›
- seed corn ›
- seed fern ›
- seed financing ›
- seed leaf ›
- seed money ›
- seed oysters ›
- seed pearl ›

