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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The team observed that inoculated seedlings grew three times as fast as the uninitiated ones. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Oct. 2024 Remove the plastic covering after seedlings emerge, usually after a few weeks. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2024 In coordination with Project Seagrass, a team of volunteers from Deloitte and Climate Impact Partners helped harvest seedlings from a healthy seagrass meadow for the recovery program. Jamie Hailstone, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 Also, be on the lookout for aphids, cutworms, woodchucks, and rabbits, which attack seedlings. Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 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 10 Nov. 2024.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!