sow

1 of 2

noun

1
: an adult female swine
also : the adult female of various other animals (such as a bear)
2
a
: a channel that conducts molten metal to molds
b
: a mass of metal solidified in such a mold : ingot

sow

2 of 2

verb

sowed; sown ˈsōn How to pronounce sow (audio) or sowed; sowing

intransitive verb

1
: to plant seed for growth especially by scattering
2
: to set something in motion : begin an enterprise

transitive verb

1
a
: to scatter (seed) upon the earth for growth
broadly : plant sense 1a
b
: to strew with or as if with seed
c
: to introduce into a selected environment : implant
2
: to set in motion : foment
sow suspicion
3
: to spread abroad : disperse

Examples of sow in a Sentence

Verb Every year we sow corn. Farmers sowed the fields with corn. We'll sow in the early spring.
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.
Noun
On Wednesday, October 23, officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service announced that Grizzly 399, a 28-year-old sow, had been hit and killed by a car in the Snake River Canyon. Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 23 Oct. 2024 Ivana Saric Nov 1, 2024 - Politics & Policy GOP secretaries of state swat down election conspiracies while Trump sows doubts Republican secretaries of state in crucial battleground states are combating baseless conspiracies to undermine the integrity of the 2024 election. Sophia Cai, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
From Seed First soak the seeds in water for 24 hours, then sow in a tray filled with lightweight, pre-moistened seed-starting mix. Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024 Putin's aim is to sow chaos, spread fear and division, and to disrupt military production. The Week Uk, theweek, 8 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sow 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sowe, from Old English sugu; akin to Old English & Old High German sow, Latin sus pig, swine, hog, Greek hys

Verb

Middle English, from Old English sāwan; akin to Old High German sāwen to sow, Latin serere, Lithuanian sėti

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sow was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near sow

Cite this Entry

“Sow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sow. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

sow

1 of 2 noun
: an adult female hog
also : the adult female of various other animals (as a bear)

sow

2 of 2 verb
sowed; sown ˈsōn How to pronounce sow (audio) or sowed; sowing
1
a
: to plant seed for growth especially by scattering
c
: to scatter with or as if with seed
d
: to put into a selected environment : distribute
2
: to set in motion : foment
sowing the seeds of suspicion
3
: to spread over a wide area : disperse, disseminate
sower noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sow

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