Library / English Dictionary

SEED

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: seed   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract

Synonyms:

come; cum; ejaculate; seed; semen; seminal fluid

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("seed" is a kind of...):

bodily fluid; body fluid; humor; humour; liquid body substance (the liquid parts of the body)

Meronyms (parts of "seed"):

sperm; sperm cell; spermatozoan; spermatozoon (the male reproductive cell; the male gamete)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "seed"):

milt (seminal fluid produced by male fish)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Anything that provides inspiration for later work

Synonyms:

germ; seed; source

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("seed" is a kind of...):

inspiration (arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "seed"):

taproot (something that provides an important central source for growth or development)

muse (the source of an artist's inspiration)

Sense 3

Meaning:

One of the outstanding players in a tournament

Synonyms:

seed; seeded player

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("seed" is a kind of...):

participant; player (a person who participates in or is skilled at some game)

Derivation:

seed (distribute (players or teams) so that outstanding teams or players will not meet in the early rounds)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A mature fertilized plant ovule consisting of an embryo and its food source and having a protective coat or testa

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Hypernyms ("seed" is a kind of...):

ovule (a small body that contains the female germ cell of a plant; develops into a seed after fertilization)

Meronyms (parts of "seed"):

pericarp; seed vessel (the ripened and variously modified walls of a plant ovary)

endosperm (nutritive tissue surrounding the embryo within seeds of flowering plants)

episperm; seed coat; testa (protective outer layer of seeds of flowering plants)

Derivation:

seed (place (seeds) in or on the ground for future growth)

seed (go to seed; shed seeds)

seed (bear seeds)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A small hard fruit

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Hypernyms ("seed" is a kind of...):

fruit (the ripened reproductive body of a seed plant)

Meronyms (parts of "seed"):

kernel; meat (the inner and usually edible part of a seed or grain or nut or fruit stone)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "seed"):

nut (usually large hard-shelled seed)

bean (any of various seeds or fruits that are beans or resemble beans)

jumping bean; jumping seed; Mexican jumping bean (seed of Mexican shrubs of the genus Sebastiana containing the larva of a moth whose movements cause the bean to jerk or tumble)

buckeye; conker; horse chestnut (the inedible nutlike seed of the horse chestnut)

neem seed (seed of neem trees; source of pesticides and fertilizer and medicinal products)

apple nut; ivory nut; vegetable ivory (nutlike seed of a South American palm; the hard white shell takes a high polish and is used for e.g. buttons)

cohune nut (nut of the cohune palm having hard white shells like those of ivory nuts)

babassu nut (hard-shelled nut of the babassu palm)

coquilla nut (nut having a hard hazel-brown shell used like vegetable ivory)

ash-key (winged seed of the ash tree)

caryopsis; grain (dry seed-like fruit produced by the cereal grasses: e.g. wheat, barley, Indian corn)

safflower seed (seed of the safflower)

oil-rich seed; oilseed (any of several seeds that yield oil)

Job's tears (hard pearly seeds of an Asiatic grass; often used as beads)

bonduc nut; nicker nut; nicker seed (hard shiny grey seed of a bonduc tree; used for making e.g. jewelry)

pip (a small hard seed found in some fruits)

coffee; coffee bean; coffee berry (a seed of the coffee tree; ground to make coffee)

edible seed (many are used as seasoning)

Derivation:

seed (remove the seeds from)

seed (place (seeds) in or on the ground for future growth)

seed (bear seeds)

seedy (full of seeds)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Remove the seeds from

Example:

seed grapes

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "seed" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

seeder (a kitchen utensil that removes seeds from fruit)

seed (a small hard fruit)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Inoculate with microorganisms

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "seed" is one way to...):

inoculate (introduce a microorganism into)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Sprinkle with silver iodide particles to disperse and cause rain

Example:

seed clouds

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "seed" is one way to...):

process; treat (subject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying for some purpose, improving, or remedying a condition)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

seeder (a person who seeds clouds)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Distribute (players or teams) so that outstanding teams or players will not meet in the early rounds

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "seed" is one way to...):

grade; order; place; range; rank; rate (assign a rank or rating to)

Domain category:

athletics; sport (an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

seed (one of the outstanding players in a tournament)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Place (seeds) in or on the ground for future growth

Example:

She sowed sunflower seeds

Synonyms:

seed; sow

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "seed" is one way to...):

lay; place; pose; position; put; set (put into a certain place or abstract location)

Verb group:

inseminate; sow; sow in (place seeds in or on (the ground))

Domain category:

agriculture; farming; husbandry (the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "seed"):

broadcast (sow over a wide area, especially by hand)

inseminate; sow; sow in (place seeds in or on (the ground))

scatter (sow by scattering)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

seed (a mature fertilized plant ovule consisting of an embryo and its food source and having a protective coat or testa)

seed (a small hard fruit)

seeder (a mechanical device that sows grass seed or grain evenly over the ground)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Go to seed; shed seeds

Example:

The dandelions went to seed

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "seed" is one way to...):

disgorge; shed; spill (cause or allow (a solid substance) to flow or run out or over)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "seed"):

reseed (seed again or anew)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

seed (a mature fertilized plant ovule consisting of an embryo and its food source and having a protective coat or testa)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Bear seeds

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "seed" is one way to...):

bear; turn out (bring forth)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

seed (a mature fertilized plant ovule consisting of an embryo and its food source and having a protective coat or testa)

seed (a small hard fruit)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Help (an enterprise) in its early stages of development by providing seed money

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "seed" is one way to...):

finance (obtain or provide money for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Credits

 Context examples: 

Organic antioxidants are found in high concentrations in fruits, seeds and vegetables.

(Antioxidant, NCI Thesaurus)

Using the catheter, radioactive seeds are put into the balloon twice a day for five days and removed each time.

(Balloon Brachytherapy, NCI Dictionary)

Ambrette seed oil is used for aches and stiffness and for its aromatic properties.

(Ambrette Seed Oil, NCI Thesaurus)

She thinks that this might be a case where the tree evolved to appeal to multiple animal species to increase the chance of spreading viable seeds.

(Thai Elephants Help Spread Jungle Fruit's Seeds, Sadie Witkowski/VOA)

The yield of the grafted plants was 40 per cent higher than that of the ungrafted plants grown from seed.

(Grafting helps pepper plants deal with drought, SciDev.Net)

It is fat-soluble (can dissolve in fats and oils) and is found in seeds, nuts, leafy green vegetables, and vegetable oils.

(Alpha-tocopherol, NCI Dictionary)

Over longer periods, these stressful conditions may result in an increase in numbers of females compared with males — more females likely means more seeds and more seedlings to fill the gap.

(Striped maple trees often change mating types, with females more likely to die, National Science Foundation)

Its seeds are a major export from many producing countries in Central and South America, Africa, and Asia — but every year, 30% to 40% of pre-harvest yield is lost to diseases.

(New way to identify disease-resistant genes in chocolate-producing trees, National Science Foundation)

A simple fleshy fruit that includes a fleshy ovary wall and one or more carpels and seeds.

(Berry, Food and Drug Administration)

A type of radiation therapy in which radioactive material sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters is placed directly into or near a tumor.

(Brachytherapy, NCI Dictionary)