n.
Pronunciation: ' s ē d
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural seed or seeds
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English s ǣ d; akin to Old High German s ā t seed, Old English s ā wan to sow ― more at SOW
Date: before 12th century
1 a (1) : the grains or ripened ovules of plants used for sowing (2) : the fertilized ripened ovule of a flowering plant containing an embryo and capable normally of germination to produce a new plant broadly : a propagative plant structure (as a spore or small dry fruit) b : a propagative animal structure: (1) : MILT , SEMEN (2) : a small egg (as of an insect) (3) : a developmental form of a lower animal suitable for transplanting specifically : SPAT c : the condition or stage of bearing seed <in seed >
2 : PROGENY
3 : a source of development or growth : GERM <sowed the seed s of discord>
4 : something (as a tiny particle or a bubble in glass) that resembles a seed in shape or size
5 : a competitor who has been seeded in a tournament <the top seed >
– seed adjective
– seed · ed \ ' s ē -d ə d \ adjective
– seed · less \ ' s ē d-l ə s \ adjective
– seed · like \ - ˌ l ī k \ adjective
– go to seed or run to seed
1 : to develop seed
2 : DECAY , DETERIORATE