seedbed

1 a place or environment that favors the development of something a social and political environment that would later become a seedbed of the abolition movement Synonyms hotbed, hothouse, nest, nidus, nursery, breeding ground, seminaryRelated Words crucible; base, capital, center, core, cynosure, eye, focus, heart, hub, mecca, nucleus, seat; focus, headquarters

2 the source from which something grows or develops that think tank has served as a seedbed for American conservatism since the Cold War era Synonyms fountainhead, germ, origin, root, seedRelated Words font, fountain, spring, well, wellhead, wellspring; beginning, birth, commencement, dawn, genesis, inception, incipiency, launch, morning, onset, outset, start, threshold; creation, inauguration, origination

3 a point or place at which something is invented or provided the historic role of the Middle East as a seedbed for new religions Synonyms cradle, font, fountain, fountainhead, origin, root, source, spring, well, wellspringRelated Words beginning, commencement, dawn, day one, genesis, get-go (also git-go), inception, incipience, incipiency, kickoff, launch, morning, nascence, nascency, onset, outset, start, threshold; baseline, first base, ground zero, square one