seed

SEED/siːd/

Pluralseeds

Verbseeds, seeding, seeded

22 meanings of seed

Practice

1
nouncountable
The small hard part of a plant that can grow into a new plant, like those inside fruit or on strawberries.
Like a tiny box that holds a baby plant inside.
She planted a single seed in a small pot.
The apple had several seeds inside it.
Note
2
noununcountable
A supply of grains, kernels, bulbs, or other plant parts used to grow crops or other plants.
Like anything you put in the ground to grow a new plant.
Farmers saved seed from the best plants to sow next spring.
Potato tubers can count as seed for the next planting.
UsageOften used with no a and no -s: a bag of seed, grass seed.
Note
3
nouncountable or uncountable
A player or team given a ranking in a tournament so top players don't meet early. Also that ranking.
Like the team ranked first going into the games.
The top seed lost in the first round.
A lower seed knocked out the favorite.
UsagePeople say the top seed or the second seed. A player with no seed is unseeded.
4
first sparknounfigurativelycountable
The first small thing that later grows into something much bigger.
Like a tiny spark that later becomes a big fire.
That conversation planted the seed of a new business.
A small doubt can be the seed of bigger problems.
UsageUsually the seed of something: the seed of an idea, plant the seed.
Similargerm
Note
5
sow groundverbtransitive
To put seeds into the ground across an area so that plants will grow.
Like scattering grass over a patch of soil so a new lawn grows.
They seed the field every April.
We seeded the lawn after removing the old grass.
UsageYou seed a place with a plant: seed the lawn with grass. You sow the seeds.
Similarsow, plant
6
assign rankingsverbtransitive
To give a player or team a ranked starting spot in a tournament.
Like sorting players by skill so the best ones don't meet too soon.
Organizers seed the best players first.
They seeded her fourth this season.
UsageUsually be seeded + a number: she was seeded fourth.
Similarrank
Note
7
verbtransitive
To give something its first resources or starting point so it can grow.
Like planting a few coins so a business can grow.
Investors seed new companies with early money.
A small grant seeded the whole research project.
UsageOften seed something with money: seed a company with early funds.
Similarfund, finance, bankroll, launch
8
verbintransitive
When a plant makes seeds and lets them drop.
Lettuce tends to seed fast when the weather turns hot.
Carrots only seed in their second year of growth.
UsagePeople also say a plant goes to seed.

Less common meanings

9
nounarchaiccountable or uncountable
Old use: a person's children and later family, or the family line someone comes from.
UsageMostly in old phrases from the Bible. Today people say descendants or children.
Note
10
make rainverbtransitive
To drop tiny particles into clouds to make rain fall.
Like adding a pinch of dust to clouds so raindrops can form.
Planes seed the clouds to bring rain to dry farms.
They seeded the storm clouds before the drought worsened.
UsagePeople say seed clouds with something. The practice is cloud seeding.
Note
11
share filesverbtransitive
To keep a file open on your computer so other people can download it.
Like leaving a door open so others can copy your file.
Please seed the file for a few hours after downloading.
He seeded the movie so his friends could grab a copy.
UsageYou seed a file or seed a torrent after you download it.
Similarshare
Oppositeleech
Note
12
starting valuenouncountable or uncountable
A starting number that a computer uses to make a series of random-looking values.
Like a starting number that decides the whole list that follows.
The game uses a seed to create each random world.
If you enter the same seed, you get the same level.
Note
13
kidsnounslangUScountable or uncountable
In casual slang, a person's child.
He works hard to give his seed a better life.
She brings her seed to every family cookout.
UsageSome people may hear a sexual meaning. Usually say kids or children.
Similarkids, children, offspring
Note
14
semennoununcountable
The fluid from a male body that can start a pregnancy, also called semen.
The king longed for an heir from his own seed.
She bore a child from her husband's seed.
UsageThe usual, neutral word is semen.
Similarsemen, sperm
Note
15
starting specknouncountable or uncountable
A tiny bit, bubble, or flaw that lets a process begin and grow.
Like a tiny crack that makes the rest of the ice break apart.
A speck of dust can act as a seed for ice to form.
Every tiny scratch became a seed for the cracks to spread.
Similarnucleus
Note
16
decorate with dotsverbtransitive
To scatter small bits thinly over something, or to decorate it with tiny seedlike pieces.
Like sprinkling tiny sprinkles all over a cake.
Bakers often seed the top of a cake with tiny silver sugar balls.
The artist seeded the glass with tiny gold dots.
UsageUsually seed something with small things: seeded with beads.
Similarstud, dot, sprinkle, speckle, fleck
Note
17
noun
A tiny bubble caught inside glass that did not melt together evenly.
18
verbrare
To earn a place in a contest, especially in a later round like a semifinal or final.
19
verb
To keep growing until it is fully grown.
20
nounrare
A creative ad placed on websites where people will share and spread it.
21
nounrare
A small broken piece of coral.
22
verbslang
To release semen inside a partner during sex.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of seed apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It comes from Old English sǣd, meaning "seed" or "that which is sown." It goes back to an old root meaning "to sow."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Seed derives from Old English sǣd, meaning "seed" or "that which is sown." archive.bukohome.com
Its ultimate root means "to sow": reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *seh₁-. en.wiktionary.org