seedling

[seed-ling]

noun

1. a plant or tree grown from a seed.

2. a tree not yet 3 feet (1 meter) high.

3. any young plant, especially one grown in a nursery for transplanting.

seedling

/ ˈsiːdlɪŋ /

noun

1. a very young plant produced from a seed

seedling

1. A young plant, especially one that grows from a seed rather than from a cutting.

2. See Note at germination

Word History and Origins

Origin of seedling¹

First recorded in 1650–60; seed + -ling ¹

Example Sentences

If you plant squash in the summer, you know what a bounty only a couple of seedlings yields.

From Salon

The perfectly pruned roses are just beginning to leaf out and the plants in the vegetable garden are seedlings.

From Los Angeles Times

After the heavy rains that winter, she was delighted to find them sprouting in the spring, fighting through the weeds along with buckwheat seedlings.

From Los Angeles Times

The seedlings of the LA Strong Sports foundation were sown, the Redicks speaking with their friends in the community about the best and fastest way to get things going.

From Los Angeles Times

New seedlings can then be grown on a higher scale.

From BBC

Related Words

• flower 
• grass 
• herb 
• shrub 
• tree 
• vine 
• weed