Illustration of seedling
- 1 primary root
- 2 rootlet
- 3 root hairs
- 4 hypocotyl
- 5 cotyledon
- 6 young stem
- 7 true leaf
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
Examples of seedling in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When selecting tomato seeds or seedlings, look for varieties that have been cultivated to resist fungal diseases.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
Find seeds and seedlings at your local garden center, or online through retailers like Row 7 Co. and Burpee.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 July 2025
The propagules grow into seedlings and are collected, potted and put up for adoption in the community.
—Christina Kelso, New York Times, 24 June 2025
To avoid disturbing the roots of the remaining plants, snip off the competing seedlings rather than pulling them out of the ground.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for seedling
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.
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
Find seeds and seedlings at your local garden center, or online through retailers like Row 7 Co. and Burpee.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 July 2025
The propagules grow into seedlings and are collected, potted and put up for adoption in the community.
—Christina Kelso, New York Times, 24 June 2025
To avoid disturbing the roots of the remaining plants, snip off the competing seedlings rather than pulling them out of the ground.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for seedling
Cite this Entry
“Seedling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seedling. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
seedling
noun
seed·ling
ˈsēd-liŋ 
1
: a young plant grown from seed
2
: a tree before it becomes a sapling
seedling
adjective
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share