noun

seed phrase

SEED frayz

Seed phrase (noun) means a list of ordinary words, usually twelve or twenty-four, generated when a cryptocurrency wallet is set up. The words encode the master key from which all the wallet's addresses come, so anyone holding them can restore the wallet and move the funds. Example: “Write the seed phrase down and store it somewhere safe before you send anything to the wallet.”

noun

A list of ordinary words, usually twelve or twenty-four, generated when a cryptocurrency wallet is set up. The words encode the master key from which all the wallet's addresses come, so anyone holding them can restore the wallet and move the funds.

"Write the seed phrase down and store it somewhere safe before you send anything to the wallet."

"He restored the account on a new phone using his seed phrase."

How to Use Seed phrase

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA short list of words that is the master key to your crypto wallet.

When to use it

Wallet software increasingly says "recovery phrase" or "secret recovery phrase" instead, on the grounds that users treat a "seed" as less important than it is.

Memory tip

The word order matters as much as the words themselves. Anyone who reads the phrase, in order, controls the wallet, and no support desk can reset it.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

private key password → PIN → passphrase

Common pairings

write down your seed phrase 12-word seed phrase restore from a seed phrase never share your seed phrase

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Write the _____ down and store it somewhere safe before you send anything to the wallet.

Etymology

From seed in the sense of a starting value from which the wallet's keys are generated, plus phrase, since it takes the form of a sequence of words.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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recovery phrase mnemonic phrase backup phrase secret recovery phrase mnemonic seed

Rhymes for seed phrase

case base mase vase ease tase Jase erase cease phase pease chase

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a seed phrase and a private key?

A private key controls one address. A seed phrase encodes a master value from which a whole family of keys and addresses is derived, so it restores the entire wallet rather than a single account.

What is the difference between a seed phrase and a password?

A password can normally be reset by the service that holds your account. A seed phrase is the key itself; nobody else has a copy, so it cannot be reset, and anyone who obtains it has full control of the funds.

Why do wallets warn against storing a seed phrase on a phone or in the cloud?

Because a photo, note or cloud backup can be read by anyone who gains access to that account or device, and requests to "verify" a phrase are a standard tactic in crypto theft. Legitimate wallet software and support staff have no reason to ask for it.