the fertilized, matured ovule of a flowering plant, containing an embryo or rudimentary plant.
any propagative part of a plant, including tubers, bulbs, etc., especially as preserved for growing a new crop.
such parts collectively.
any similar small part or fruit.
Dialect. pit.
the germ or propagative source of anything.
the seeds of discord.
offspring; progeny.
birth.
not of mortal seed.
sperm; semen.
the ovum or ova of certain animals, as the lobster and the silkworm moth.
a small air bubble in a glass piece, caused by defective firing.
Crystallography, Chemistry. a small crystal added to a solution to promote crystallization.
Tennis. a player who has been seeded in a tournament.
to sow (a field, lawn, etc.) with seed.
to sow or scatter (seed).
to sow or scatter (clouds) with crystals or particles of silver iodide, solid carbon dioxide, etc., to induce precipitation.
to place, introduce, etc., especially in the hope of increase or profit.
to seed a lake with trout.
to sprinkle on (a surface, substance, etc.) in the manner of seed.
to seed an icy bridge with chemicals.
to remove the seeds from (fruit).
Sports.
to arrange (the drawings for positions in a tournament) so that ranking players or teams will not meet in the early rounds of play.
to distribute (ranking players or teams) in this manner.
to develop or stimulate (a business, project, etc.), especially by providing operating capital.
to sow seed.
to produce or shed seed.
of or producing seed; used for seed.
a seed potato.
being or providing capital for the initial stages of a new business or other enterprise.
The research project began with seed donations from the investors.
go / run to seed,
(of the flower of a plant) to pass to the stage of yielding seed.
to lose vigor, power, or prosperity; deteriorate.
He has gone to seed in the last few years.
in seed,
(of certain plants) in the state of bearing ripened seeds.
(of a field, a lawn, etc.) sown with seed.
botany a mature fertilized plant ovule, consisting of an embryo and its food store surrounded by a protective seed coat (testa)
the small hard seedlike fruit of plants such as wheat
(loosely) any propagative part of a plant, such as a tuber, spore, or bulb
such parts collectively
the source, beginning, or germ of anything
the seeds of revolt
Bible offspring or descendants
the seed of Abraham
sport a seeded player
the egg cell or cells of the lobster and certain other animals
See seed oyster
chem a small crystal added to a supersaturated solution or supercooled liquid to induce crystallization
(of plants) to produce and shed seeds
to lose vigour, usefulness, etc
to plant (seeds, grain, etc) in (soil)
we seeded this field with oats
(intr) (of plants) to form or shed seeds
(tr) to remove the seeds from (fruit, etc)
(tr) chem to add a small crystal to (a supersaturated solution or supercooled liquid) in order to cause crystallization
(tr) to scatter certain substances, such as silver iodide, in (clouds) in order to cause rain
(tr)
to arrange (the draw of a tournament) so that outstanding teams or players will not meet in the early rounds
to distribute (players or teams) in this manner
A mature fertilized ovule of angiosperms and gymnosperms that contains an embryo and the food it will need to grow into a new plant. Seeds provide a great reproductive advantage in being able to survive for extended periods until conditions are favorable for germination and growth. The seeds of gymnosperms (such as the conifers) develop on scales of cones or similar structures, while the seeds of angiosperms are enclosed in an ovary that develops into a fruit, such as a pome or nut. The structure of seeds varies somewhat. All seeds are enclosed in a protective seed coat. In certain angiosperms the embryo is enclosed in or attached to an endosperm, a tissue that it uses as a food source either before or during germination. All angiosperm embryos also have at least one cotyledon. The first seed-bearing plants emerged at least 365 million years ago in the late Devonian Period. Many angiosperms have evolved specific fruits for dispersal of seeds by the wind, water, or animals.
See more at germination ovule
To plant seeds in soil.
To initiate rainfall or to generate additional rainfall by artificially increasing the precipitation efficiency of clouds.
See more at cloud seeding
before 900; (noun) Middle English sede, side, seed ( e ), Old English sēd, sǣd; cognate with German Saat, Old Norse sāth, Gothic -seths; (v.) Middle English seden to produce seeds, derivative of the noun; akin to sow 1
A seed is basically a baby plant — it's the way plants reproduce. One tiny sunflower seed can potentially grow into a sunflower that's ten feet tall. Some seeds are just a tiny speck, others a small pod, and still others a cluster inside a fruit. As a verb, seed means "remove the seeds from," so you can seed a lemon or a pomegranate (and in the latter case, you can then eat the seeds you've seeded). You also seed when you scatter seeds in a garden. Figuratively, seed is often used to mean "provide money to start a business" or "help something grow."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It might take a little time for the $1,000 seed money to show up in some cases, financial advisers say.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
“Government seed deposits move on government time,” said Jeff Judge of Chesapeake Financial Planners in Forest Hill, Md.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
It will be a battle of two former world champions in round two as Price faces Rob Cross after the Englishman's comprehensive 10-3 win over 10th seed Danny Noppert of the Netherlands.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Or, top them on homemade yogurt bowls and chia seed pudding to make them a bit more indulgent.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
He let the crops go to seed and hammered on the dang thing night and day.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
Ms. Foster’s group agreed to deliver $1 million for a new project — SEED, for Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration.
From New York Times ● May 30, 2018
"These studies are really going to fundamentally change the landscape," says Croen, who is a lead investigator on SEED.
From Nature ● Nov. 2, 2011
"SEED looks like a very innovative model, but it is too early to tell," says Nina Rees, a U.S.
From Time Magazine Archive
THE SEED: "The hardest part of this show is coming up with the ideas," says David.
From Time Magazine Archive
Boreal forests are also supposed to burn on an infrequent basis, in order to open up certain pine cones and spread their seeds, or to clear out lower tree branches.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026
It also limited the ability of malformed tau to act as "seeds" that recruit more tau proteins and build larger clumps.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
The seeds, when ready to pick, sit neatly in a row, slightly raised from the surface.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Sowing doubt, tossing seeds of chaos into the soil to see what grows.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
May looked up, her face covered with seeds and fruit juices.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
For now, the dirt, which was seeded with grass to prevent runoff, isn’t interrupting play at East Potomac.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
The fund it envisions would be seeded “partly” by AI companies, on terms the industry would presumably determine.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
At just 21 years old, she arrives at the All England Club as the 29th seed, marking the first time she has been seeded at a Grand Slam after a breakout grass-court season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
A sturdy bread: toasted sourdough, dark brown sandwich loaves, cornbread, seeded rye.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
The threads push through the cell wall and grow out of the cell, like grass rising from seeded loam.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
Alice Parfitt, conservation officer, said: "It would be great to see local communities getting hands-on through wildflower seeding and planting, practical habitat management and creative workshops."
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
He credits his mom with seeding his interest in investing: She helped him buy $300 in Apple shares when he was in middle school, working at the lingerie store that she owned in a mall.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
Dry direct seeding is an alternative, and deadlines for that extend until June.
From Barron's ● May 8, 2026
With the war occurring during planting season in the Northern Hemisphere, this has created an acute fertilizer shortage at the time when farmers should be seeding their fields.
From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2026
In bed that evening, Miyax’s spirit was stirred by the seeding grass and the restless birds and she could not sleep.
From "Julie of the Wolves" by Jean Craighead George
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
