noun C1 Advanced

seedling

SEED-lihng

Seedling (noun) means a young plant grown from a seed, especially one still small enough to transplant. Example: “The seedlings need to be moved outdoors once the frost has passed.”

noun

A young plant grown from a seed, especially one still small enough to transplant.

"The seedlings need to be moved outdoors once the frost has passed."

How to use seedling

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA young, newly-sprouted plant, before it grows into a full plant or tree.

Common pairings

transplant a seedling tomato seedlings tender seedling

Word forms

seedlings plural

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The _____ need to be moved outdoors once the frost has passed.

Etymology

Formed from seed plus the diminutive suffix -ling, meaning "small young one" — the same pattern as "duckling."

Rhymes for seedling

microneedling

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Frequently asked questions

What does “seedling” mean?

The word “seedling” means a young plant grown from a seed, especially one still small enough to transplant. In plain terms, a young, newly-sprouted plant, before it grows into a full plant or tree.

How do you pronounce “seedling”?

“Seedling” is pronounced SEED-lihng (/ˈsiːdlɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “seedling” in a sentence?

Here is “seedling” used in a sentence: “The seedlings need to be moved outdoors once the frost has passed.”

What part of speech is “seedling”?

“Seedling” is a noun.

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