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
Young seedlings require nutrients to support development.
—
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 Oct. 2025
Farmhands in the distance are harvesting hay, not only to provide winter fodder for animals but also to destroy seedling trees and shrubs that might otherwise overgrow the area, while distant plumes of smoke suggest the possible burning of fields after harvest for the same reason.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Oct. 2025
After flowering and producing seed in late spring, henbit dies, but its seedlings will emerge in fall to grow the population.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2025
Trying to get your new grass seedlings to outgrow a spring crop of crabgrass is a losing battle.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for seedling
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Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 Oct. 2025
Farmhands in the distance are harvesting hay, not only to provide winter fodder for animals but also to destroy seedling trees and shrubs that might otherwise overgrow the area, while distant plumes of smoke suggest the possible burning of fields after harvest for the same reason.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Oct. 2025
After flowering and producing seed in late spring, henbit dies, but its seedlings will emerge in fall to grow the population.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2025
Trying to get your new grass seedlings to outgrow a spring crop of crabgrass is a losing battle.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Sep. 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 16 Oct. 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
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