What does seed mean?

Definitions for seed
sidseed

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word seed.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. seednoun

    a small hard fruit

  2. seednoun

    a mature fertilized plant ovule consisting of an embryo and its food source and having a protective coat or testa

  3. seeded player, seednoun

    one of the outstanding players in a tournament

  4. source, seed, germnoun

    anything that provides inspiration for later work

  5. semen, seed, seminal fluid, ejaculate, cum, comeverb

    the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract

  6. seedverb

    go to seed; shed seeds

    "The dandelions went to seed"

  7. seedverb

    help (an enterprise) in its early stages of development by providing seed money

  8. seedverb

    bear seeds

  9. sow, seedverb

    place (seeds) in or on the ground for future growth

    "She sowed sunflower seeds"

  10. seedverb

    distribute (players or teams) so that outstanding teams or players will not meet in the early rounds

  11. seedverb

    sprinkle with silver iodide particles to disperse and cause rain

    "seed clouds"

  12. seedverb

    inoculate with microorganisms

  13. seedverb

    remove the seeds from

    "seed grapes"

Wiktionary

  1. seednoun

    A fertilized grain, initially encased in a fruit, which may grow into a mature plant.

    If you plant a seed in the spring, you may have a pleasant surprise in the autumn.

  2. seednoun

    A fertilized ovule, containing an embryonic plant.

  3. seednoun

    An amount of fertilized grain that cannot be readily counted.

    The entire field was covered with geese eating the freshly sown seed.

  4. seednoun

    Semen.

    Sometimes a man may feel encouraged to spread his seed before he settles down to raise a family.

  5. seednoun

    A precursor.

    The seed of an idea. Which idea was the seed (idea)?

  6. seednoun

    The initial state, condition or position of a changing, growing or developing process; the ultimate precusor in a defined chain of precusors.

  7. seednoun

    Offspring, descendants, progeny.

  8. seedverb

    To plant or sow an area with seeds.

    I seeded my lawn with bluegrass.

  9. seedverb

    To start; to provide, assign or determine the initial resources for, position of, state of.

  10. seedverb

    To allocate a seeding to a competitor.

  11. seedverb

    To be able to compete (especially in a quarter-final/semi-final/final).

    The tennis player seeded into the quarters.

  12. seedverb

    To ejaculate inside the penetratee during intercourse, especially in the rectum.

  13. Etymology: sæd, sed, from Germanic *sædh- ‘that which can be sown’. Cognate with Dutch zaad, German Saat, Swedish säd. Related to sow.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. SEEDnoun

    Etymology: sæd , Saxon; seed, Danish; saed, Dutch.

    If you can look into the seeds of time,
    And say which grain will grow and which will not,
    Speak then to me. William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

    Seed of a year old is the best, though some seed and grains last better than others. Francis Bacon, Nat. History.

    That every plant has its seed is an evident sign of divine providence. More.

    Did they ever see any herbs, except those of the grass-leaved tribe, come up without two seed leaves; which to me is an argument that they came all of seed, there being no reason else why they should produce two seed leaves different from the subsequent. John Ray.

    Just gods! all other things their like produce;
    The vine arises from her mother’s juice:
    When feeble plants or tender flow’rs decay,
    They to their seed their images convey. Matthew Prior.

    In the south part of Staffordshire they go to the north for seed corn. John Mortimer.

    The seed of whatsoever perfect virtue groweth from us, is a right opinion touching things divine. Richard Hooker.

    Praise of great acts he scatters as a seed,
    Which may the like in coming ages breed. Edmund Waller.

    Next him king Lear in happy peace long reign’d;
    But had no issue male him to succeed,
    But three fair daughters, which were well uptrain’d
    In all that seemed fit for kingly seed. Fairy Queen.

    The thing doth touch
    The main of all your states, your blood, your seed. Daniel.

    When God gave Canaan to Abraham, he thought fit to put his seed into the grant too. John Locke.

    Of mortal seed they were not held,
    Which other mortals so excel’d;
    And beauty too in such excess,
    As your’s, Zelinda! claims no less. Edmund Waller.

  2. To Seedverb

    To grow to perfect maturity so as to shed the seed.

    Etymology: from the noun.

    Whate’er I plant, like corn on barren earth,
    By an equivocal birth,
    Seeds and runs up to poetry. Jonathan Swift.

    They pick up all the old roots, except what they design for seed, which they let stand to seed the next year. John Mortimer.

Wikipedia

  1. Seed

    A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering. The formation of the seed is part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiosperm plants. Seeds are the product of the ripened ovule, after fertilization by pollen and some growth within the mother plant. The embryo is developed from the zygote and the seed coat from the integuments of the ovule. Seeds have been an important development in the reproduction and success of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants, relative to more primitive plants such as ferns, mosses and liverworts, which do not have seeds and use water-dependent means to propagate themselves. Seed plants now dominate biological niches on land, from forests to grasslands both in hot and cold climates. The term "seed" also has a general meaning that antedates the above – anything that can be sown, e.g. "seed" potatoes, "seeds" of corn or sunflower "seeds". In the case of sunflower and corn "seeds", what is sown is the seed enclosed in a shell or husk, whereas the potato is a tuber. Many structures commonly referred to as "seeds" are actually dry fruits. Plants producing berries are called baccate. Sunflower seeds are sometimes sold commercially while still enclosed within the hard wall of the fruit, which must be split open to reach the seed. Different groups of plants have other modifications, the so-called stone fruits (such as the peach) have a hardened fruit layer (the endocarp) fused to and surrounding the actual seed. Nuts are the one-seeded, hard-shelled fruit of some plants with an indehiscent seed, such as an acorn or hazelnut.

ChatGPT

  1. seed

    A seed is a mature fertilized plant ovule, consisting of an embryo and storing food resources, surrounded by a protective coat. It is capable of developing into a new plant under appropriate conditions. Seeds are used for propagation and reproduction of species in the plant kingdom and are a vital part of the food chain for numerous organisms, including humans.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Seed

    of Seed

  2. Seednoun

    a ripened ovule, consisting of an embryo with one or more integuments, or coverings; as, an apple seed; a currant seed. By germination it produces a new plant

  3. Seednoun

    any small seedlike fruit, though it may consist of a pericarp, or even a calyx, as well as the seed proper; as, parsnip seed; thistle seed

  4. Seednoun

    the generative fluid of the male; semen; sperm; -- not used in the plural

  5. Seednoun

    that from which anything springs; first principle; original; source; as, the seeds of virtue or vice

  6. Seednoun

    the principle of production

  7. Seednoun

    progeny; offspring; children; descendants; as, the seed of Abraham; the seed of David

  8. Seednoun

    race; generation; birth

  9. Seedverb

    to sprinkle with seed; to plant seeds in; to sow; as, to seed a field

  10. Seedverb

    to cover thinly with something scattered; to ornament with seedlike decorations

  11. Etymology: [OE. seed, sed, AS. sd, fr. swan to sow; akin to D. zaad seed, G. saat, Icel. s, saei, Goth. manass seed of men, world. See Sow to scatter seed, and cf. Colza.]

Wikidata

  1. Seed

    Seed is an online science magazine published by Seed Media Group. The magazine looks at big ideas in science, important issues at the intersection of science and society, and the people driving global science culture. Seed was founded in Montreal by Adam Bly and the magazine is now headquartered in New York with bureaus around the world. May/June 2009 was the last print issue. Content continues to be published on the website. Seed was a finalist for two National Magazine Awards in 2007 in the categories of Design and General Excellence, is the recipient of the Utne Independent Press Award, and is included in the 2006 Best American Science and Nature Writing anthology published by Houghton Mifflin and edited by Brian Greene. The magazine publishes original writing from scientists and science journalists. Scientists who have contributed to the magazine include: James D. Watson, Freeman Dyson, Lisa Randall, Martin Rees, Steven Pinker, E.O. Wilson, and Daniel Dennett. Seed's design direction was created by Stefan Sagmeister. Jonah Lehrer also contributed features to Seed.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Seed

    sēd, n. the thing sown: the male fecundating fluid, semen, sperm, milt, spat, the substance produced by plants and animals from which new plants and animals are generated: first principle: original: descendants: children: race: red-seed: a small bubble formed in imperfectly fused glass.—v.i. to produce seed: to grow to maturity.—v.t. to sow: to plant: to graft.—ns. Seed′-bag, a bag for seeds; Seed′-bed, a piece of ground for receiving seed; Seed′-bird, the water-wagtail; Seed′-bud, the bud or germ of the seed; Seed′-cake, a sweet cake containing aromatic seeds; Seed′-coat, the exterior coat of a seed; Seed′-cod, a basket for holding seed; Seed′-cor′al, coral in small and irregular pieces; Seed′-corn, corn to be used for sowing; Seed′-crush′er, an instrument for crushing seeds to express the oil; Seed′-down, the down on cotton, &c.; Seed′-drill, a machine for sowing seed in rows; Seed′-eat′er, a granivorous bird.—adj. Seed′ed, bearing seed, full-grown: sown: (her.) having the stamens indicated.—ns. Seed′-embroi′dery, embroidery in which seeds form parts of the design; Seed′er, a seed-drill: an apparatus for removing seeds from fruit: a seed-fish; Seed′-field, a field in which seed is raised; Seed′-finch, a South American finch; Seed′-fish, roe or spawn; Seed′-fowl, a bird that feeds on grain.—adj. Seed′ful, rich in promise.—ns. Seed′-gall, a small gall; Seed′-grain, corn for seed.—adv. Seed′ily.—ns. Seed′iness, the state of being seedy: shabbiness: exhaustion; Seed′ing; Seed′ing-machine′, an agricultural machine for sowing; Seed′ing-plough, a plough fitted with a hopper from which seed is automatically deposited; Seed′-lac (see Lac, 2); Seed′-leaf, a cotyledon; Seed′-leap, a seed-basket.—adj. Seed′less, having no seeds.—ns. Seed′ling a plant reared from the seed—also adj.; Seed′-lobe, a cotyledon or seed-leaf; Seed′ness (Shak.), seedtime; Seed′-oil, oil expressed from seeds.—ns.pl. Seed′-oy′sters, very young oysters; Seed′-pearls, very small or imperfect pearls strung together on horse-hair and attached to mother-of-pearl, &c., for ornament—used also in the composition of electuaries, &c.—ns. Seed′-plant′er, a seeder for planting seed on hills; Seed′-plot, a piece of nursery-ground, a hot-bed; Seed′-sheet, the sheet containing the seed of the sower; Seeds′man, one who deals in seeds: a sower:—pl. Seeds′men; Seed′-sow′er, a broadcast seeding-machine; Seed′-stalk, the funiculus; Seed′-tick, a young tick; Seed′time, the time or season for sowing seed; Seed′-vess′el, the pericarp which contains the seeds; Seed′-weev′il, a small weevil which infests seeds; Seed′-wool, cotton-wool from which the seeds have not been removed.—adj. Seed′y, abounding with seed: run to seed: having the flavour of seeds: worn out: out of sorts, looking or feeling unwell: shabby.—n. Seed′y-toe, a diseased condition of a horse's foot. [A.S. sǽdsáwan, to sow; Ice. sádh, Ger. saat.]

Editors Contribution

  1. seed

    A type of matter.

    The seed of the plants were sold to other nurseries for their inventory levels.


    Submitted by MaryC on February 19, 2020  


  2. seedverb

    This term is used literally or metaphorically to refer to plants or grain, sowing or harvest, male reproductive seed, human children or physical descendants, and also to spiritual children or to Christ.

    I am planting verbal vibrational seeds of sound in literature that is meant to grow in the world forever.

    Etymology: Language


    Submitted by Tony_Elyon on September 4, 2023  

Suggested Resources

  1. seed

    Song lyrics by seed -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by seed on the Lyrics.com website.

  2. SEED

    What does SEED stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the SEED acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

Surnames Frequency by Census Records

  1. SEED

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Seed is ranked #26067 in terms of the most common surnames in America.

    The Seed surname appeared 940 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Seed.

    87.4% or 822 total occurrences were White.
    8.7% or 82 total occurrences were Black.
    2% or 19 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.
    0.7% or 7 total occurrences were of two or more races.

British National Corpus

  1. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'seed' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4606

  2. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'seed' in Nouns Frequency: #1331

Anagrams for seed »

  1. dees

  2. EDES

  3. sede

How to pronounce seed?

How to say seed in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of seed in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of seed in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of seed in a Sentence

  1. Brett Begemann:

    We would be in the position of selling those seed and trait assets blind.

  2. Roger Federer:

    After all these years, it is surprising to be the No. 1 seed, in the top two rankings at 36. I didn't think that was ever going to happen, to be honest, that has been the surprise for me, that sometimes there is a set like this. I was just very happy that I was able to protect my serve, find a way to break, create opportunities. I think I can be very pleased.

  3. Alexis karpouzos:

    Look, for once the face of the earth, look, one life in every seed self sacrificed for us, look the sun, shines in us, look the river, flow through us, look the flowers, bloom in our bodies, every fiber and cell of the substances of our bodies vibrating from the birds songs

  4. Aloo Denish Obiero:

    Patience is the gardener's virtue; in time, even the smallest seed becomes the mightiest oak.

  5. Gyorgy Balint:

    For a gardener, every day a flower blooms, a seed starts to grow, and a tomato ripens.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

seed#1#4013#10000

Translations for seed

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

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