Illustration of seedling
- 1 primary root
- 2 rootlet
- 3 root hairs
- 4 hypocotyl
- 5 cotyledon
- 6 epicotyl
- 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
Use these pots for transplanting seedlings that don’t like having their roots disturbed.
—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2026
Pearlescent pale seedlings burst through dry concrete.
—
Andy Battaglia,
ARTnews.com,
18 June 2026
Water the seedlings and keep the soil consistently moist.
—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
15 June 2026
These are most effective against young seedling weeds that have not yet established an extensive root system.
—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for seedling
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Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2026
Pearlescent pale seedlings burst through dry concrete.
—
Andy Battaglia,
ARTnews.com,
18 June 2026
Water the seedlings and keep the soil consistently moist.
—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
15 June 2026
These are most effective against young seedling weeds that have not yet established an extensive root system.
—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for seedling
Cite this Entry
“Seedling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seedling. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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
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