seed money

noun

: money used for setting up a new enterprise

Examples of seed money in a Sentence

He provided seed money for the campaign.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Since opening its doors as The Family Service Organization on March 5, 1925, the agency has gone from a couple of employees handling 20 cases that first year with $500 seed money from its founding members to a staff of 92 and a budget of $7.2 million that last year served over 800 individuals. Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2025 How did a drug rooted, like many, in seed money from the U.S. government — that is, American taxpayers — and spurred by the grassroots fundraising of desperate parents, end up with such a price tag? Robin Fields, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025 The California Community Foundation, Snap Inc., Spiegel and Snapchat co-founder Bobby Murphy have committed a total of $10 million in seed money for the Department of Angels. James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2025 Once the project is constructed, the Levitt Foundation would provide $1.1 million total in seed money for operating costs over the first five years. Devan Patel, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for seed money

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of seed money was in 1943

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Seed money.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seed%20money. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!