seedling

noun

seed·​ling ˈsēd-liŋ 

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

• 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

Keep an eye out for any seedlings that might appear and pull them immediately. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 3 July 2025

While ocean temperatures in the Atlantic are warm enough to fuel hurricanes, disruptive winds are quickly tearing apart the seedling storms. —Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 2 July 2025

The farm—which is, in fact, an enormous warehouse—is filled with lettuce seedlings growing under banks of lights in a mist of chemicals. —Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 23 June 2025

This means its roots exude chemicals that suppress the growth of nearby plants, including tree seedlings needed for forest regeneration. —Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1629, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for seedling

• needling

Kids Definition

seedling

noun

seed·​ling ˈsēd-liŋ 

1

: a young plant grown from seed

2

: a tree before it becomes a sapling

seedling adjective