seed

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   the small part of a plant that can grow into a new plant

   Grammar: Countable: one seed, two seeds.

   Patterns

   • plant a seed
   • a seed grows

   She planted seeds in the garden.

   The seed will grow into a tree.

2. 2nouncountablefigurative

   the beginning or source of something that will develop

   Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'the seed of something'.

   Patterns

   • the seed of something
   • sow the seeds of something

   The idea was the seed of a successful business.

   His speech sowed the seeds of doubt.

3. 3verbtransitive

   to plant seeds in an area or to remove seeds from fruit

   Grammar: Takes an object: seed a lawn.

   Patterns

   • seed a lawn
   • seed a field

   We seeded the lawn last spring.

   She seeded the grapes before making juice.

4. 4verbtransitivesport

   to arrange competitors in a tournament so that the best ones do not meet until later rounds

   Grammar: Often used in passive: be seeded.

   Patterns

   • seed a player
   • be seeded first

   The top player was seeded first.

   They seeded the teams according to their rankings.

Word forms

Common combinations

plant seeds

Farmers plant seeds in the spring.

seed of an idea

The book planted the seed of an idea in her mind.

seed money

They raised seed money for the startup.

seedless grapes

I prefer seedless grapes.

Synonyms and how they differ

kernel

Kernel often refers to the edible part inside a seed or nut, while seed is the whole reproductive unit.

pip

Pip is a small seed inside fruit like apples, but seed is the general term.

Word family

seedy adjective

Full of seeds; also meaning disreputable or sordid.

seedling noun

A young plant grown from a seed.

seeder noun

A machine or person that plants seeds.

Commonly confused: seed or cede?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “seed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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