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seedling

seedling

20 2.8
A young plant that grows from a seed before it has adult leaves
  • noun
  • /ˈsiːd.lɪŋ/
translation icon : plántula
  • Lila gave the boy a red water pail, and he nurtured the seedlings as best he could.
  • plant seedlings
  • tree seedlings
  • seedling growth

So they've seen it right from seedling to fully grown plant.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • After planting the seeds, we were excited to see the first seedlings sprout in the garden.

  • Starting with the seedling, make sure that you water the plant, OK?

  • Well, then we take our little seedling and pop it in.

  • We're seeing how the seedlings are coming out.

  • We plant seedlings every time we harvest.

  • The Greenway Trust plans to return to these sites to plant tree seedlings next spring.

    Academic text (1995)
  • In spring 1998, we will plant white pine seedlings and follow their survival and growth characteristics.

    Academic text (1997)
  • This is a great method for starting those finicky seedlings that don't like root disturbance like the beans.

  • "Rain shortly after planting can form a crust that seedlings can't penetrate," he says.

    Academic text (1997)
  • In the greenhouse, we carefully monitored the growth of each seedling to ensure they remained healthy.

Synonyms

sprout
vsseedling
62 1.8

A young shoot on a plant that grows from a seed

develops into a small young plant later, before adult leaves or transplant
germinant
vsseedling
  • Specialized
7.8

A seed or spore that is starting to grow

represents a later stage as a small plant after the first growth

Antonyms

110 1.0

Fully grown and mature

Compounds

A large green apple that tastes tart and is best for cooking

How Developed

matured
2.6
sapling
16 2.7
seedling
20 2.8
sprout
62 1.8
seed
405 1.0

Surface Forms

seedling singular
seedlings plural

Morphology

seedling = seed (transparent) = seed + ling

Formed from 'seed' + the diminutive/young suffix '-ling'; meaning is directly derived: a young plant grown from a seed.

Etymology

The word seedling is made of seed and the ending -ling, which means 'small' or 'young', as in duckling. So a seedling is a baby plant that has grown from a seed.