seedling

noun

seed·​ling ˈsēd-liŋ How to pronounce seedling (audio)
1
: a young plant grown from seed
2
a
: a young tree before it becomes a sapling
b
: a nursery plant not yet transplanted
seedling adjective

Illustration of seedling

Illustration of seedling
  • 1 primary root
  • 2 rootlet
  • 3 root hairs
  • 4 hypocotyl
  • 5 cotyledon
  • 6 young stem
  • 7 true leaf

Examples of seedling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The actual Christmas trees, which are often kept indoors as seedlings and grow on high-altitude hillsides as adults, were relatively safe from flooding. Ash Reynolds, NBC News, 25 Dec. 2024 Grab the advantage and use the time to pull out unwanted weeds and thin overzealous seedlings. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2024 Essentially, microgreens are the young seedlings of vegetables and herbs. Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 29 Oct. 2024 Protect seedlings from cutworms. Cutworms are the caterpillars of certain species of moths that crawl along the soil line and chew through tender seedling stems in spring. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for seedling 

Word History

First Known Use

1629, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of seedling was in 1629

Dictionary Entries Near seedling

Cite this Entry

“Seedling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seedling. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

seedling

noun
seed·​ling ˈsēd-liŋ How to pronounce seedling (audio)
1
: a young plant grown from seed
2
: a tree before it becomes a sapling
seedling adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on seedling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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