# seeded

/ˈsidɪd/ (US) · /sˈiːdɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/seeded
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to plant seeds

verb · CEFR B2

to have planted seeds in the ground.

For teachers: the past tense of seed, referring to the act of sowing a field or area with seeds.

- The farmer seeded the field with corn just before the rain started.
- After the wildfire, the forestry service seeded the charred hillsides with native grasses to prevent soil erosion during the winter months.

### 2. to rank in a tournament

verb · CEFR B2

to rank a player or team in a competition so they do not play the best opponents too early.

For teachers: to arrange the draw of a tournament by positioning superior players or teams so they do not meet in the early rounds.

- She was seeded first in the tennis tournament because she is the world champion.
- The defending champion was seeded second, a controversial decision that placed him in the same half of the bracket as his primary rival.

### 3. containing seeds

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

describing a fruit or plant that has seeds inside it.

For teachers: bearing or containing seeds; often used in botanical descriptions or to distinguish from seedless varieties.

- Some people prefer seeded grapes because they think the flavour is better.
- The botanist identified the specimen as a seeded variety, noting the distinct morphology of the pods compared to the hybrid cultivars.

### 4. to remove seeds

verb · CEFR B2

to have removed the seeds from a fruit or vegetable.

For teachers: the past tense of seed, referring to the process of extracting seeds from a fruit or vegetable during food preparation.

- The chef seeded the peppers before chopping them for the salad.
- Once the tomatoes were blanched and seeded, they were simmered slowly to create a smooth, refined sauce base.

## Examples

- The champion is seeded first in this year's tennis tournament.
- Because they won the regional league, the team was seeded at the top of their group for the national finals.
- Tournament organizers seeded the defending champion first to ensure a high-stakes final, though several unseeded players have recently shown the potential to cause a significant upset in the opening rounds.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.