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 epicotyl
  • 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.
Between 1935 and 1942, federal nurseries distributed over 85 million kudzu seedlings to Southern landowners, and the government offered farmers up to $8 per acre to plant the vine on their land. — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 Aug. 2026 As seedlings emerge, reduce the frequency of watering and practice deeper irrigation (learn more about seeding your lawn here). — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026 Orchid seedlings don’t contain chlorophyll, so are unable to photosynthesize and in the wild rely entirely on sugar donated from mycorrhizal fungi to germinate and grow. — Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026 So why does new marketing for the PepsiCo product tout partnerships with farmers and flash imagery of corn seedlings and a tractor? — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026 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

Rhymes for seedling

See All Rhymes for seedling

Browse Nearby Words

seedlike
seedling
seedling-rooted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Seedling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seedling. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about seedling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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