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Synonyms

seed money

American  

noun

  1. capital for the initial stages of a new business or other enterprise, especially for the initial operating costs.


seed money British  

noun

  1. money used for the establishment of an enterprise

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of seed money

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

There have now been 7 million sign-ups, and 1.7 million of those accounts are eligible for the $1,000 in seed money, according to fresh figures from the Treasury Department.

From MarketWatch Jul. 23, 2026

The law also authorized the pilot program donating the $1,000 seed money to eligible children.

From MarketWatch Jul. 6, 2026

In addition, some 25 million children ages 10 and under are eligible for $250 in seed money provided by a donation from tech billionaire Michael Dell and his wife, Susan.

From MarketWatch Jul. 6, 2026

Micron raised $300,000 in seed money from local Boise business leaders, and in 1980 it received a $1 million investment from J.R.

From MarketWatch Jul. 3, 2026

He gave a million dollars in seed money and hired an attorney to draw up papers for Partners in Health and its corresponding sister organization in Haiti, Zanmi Lasante.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

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