noun
seed
seed
noun
1
A small hard part of a plant from which a new plant can grow.
"She planted the sunflower seeds in early spring."
"Squirrels bury seeds and nuts for the winter."
2
The origin or starting point of something that later develops.
"That conversation planted the seed of an idea that became his business."
3
A competitor's ranked starting position in a tournament.
"She entered the tournament as the third seed."
verb
1
To plant seeds in an area.
"They seeded the field with wheat."
2
To assign a rank or starting position to a competitor in a tournament.
"He was seeded second going into the championship."
How to Use Seed
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWhat you plant to grow a new plant — or, more broadly, the small beginning of something bigger.
Common pairings
plant a seed
sow seeds
top seed
seed money
Word Forms
seeded past tense, seeds plural, Seeds plural, seeds singular
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Etymology
From Old English sæd, "seed, that which is sown," from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to sow" — the same root behind "sow" itself.