Pronunciation: [sˈiːdlɪŋ] (IPA) 
The word "seedling" is spelled with three syllables, "seed-ling." The first syllable, "seed," is pronounced as /siːd/, with a long "e" sound followed by a "d" sound. The second syllable, "ling," is pronounced as /lɪŋ/, with a short "i" sound followed by a "ng" sound. "Seedling" refers to a young plant that has recently sprouted from a seed. This word is commonly used in gardening and agriculture.
A seedling is a young, small-sized plant that has just germinated from a seed. It is the initial stage in the life cycle of a plant, following the development and germination of a seed. Seeds contain all the necessary genetic material and nutrients required for a plant to grow and mature, and a seedling is the manifestation of the beginning of this potential.
Typically, a seedling consists of a stem, a pair of cotyledons (also known as seed leaves), and sometimes a root or a few root hairs. It is usually fragile, delicate, and vulnerable, yet resilient and filled with potential for growth. As the seedling matures, it will develop true leaves that will replace the cotyledons.
Seedlings require certain environmental conditions to thrive, such as sunlight, water, and necessary nutrients from the soil. They are highly responsive to their environment and can be influenced by these external factors, such as temperature and humidity, which can impact their growth rate and overall health.
Seedlings are commonly cultivated in nurseries or greenhouses before being transplanted to their final growing location, such as a garden or field. This ensures that they are provided with optimal conditions for growth and establishes their root system before facing the challenges of the natural environment. Overall, seedlings represent the promise of new life and the beginning of a plant's journey towards maturity and reproduction.
A plant reared from a seed, and not from a layer or bud.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "seedling" originated from the combination of two words: "seed" and "ling".
The term "seed" is derived from the Old English word "sed", which means "that which is sown or planted". It can be traced back further to the Proto-Germanic word "sediz", meaning "seed".
The suffix "-ling" is of Germanic origin and is used to form words indicating a diminutive or a small version of something. It is related to the Old English "-ling", the Old High German "-ling", and the Dutch "-ling".
By combining "seed" with the diminutive suffix "-ling", the word "seedling" was formed to refer to a small or young plant that has emerged from a seed.
