seedless

When something is seedless, it does not contain seeds. You see this most often with fruits such as grapes, watermelons, and some oranges or lemons sold for easy eating. Most fruits normally grow with seeds, but some kinds are grown or bred so that little or no seed develops.

The word simply combines "seed" and "less," so it means "without seeds." If you cut open a watermelon and do not have to pick out hard black seeds, you are enjoying a seedless variety.

The term "seedless" means lacking seeds, and it is most commonly used for fruits and other produce that grow without the usual hard seeds inside. A bunch of grapes sold for snacking, a watermelon with only soft white traces, or a citrus fruit with no seeds are all good examples. People usually use the word in everyday life to talk about food that is easier and more pleasant to eat.

Some seedless varieties occur naturally, but many are produced through farming and plant-breeding methods. In some cases, the plant is grown in a way that stops normal seed development. In others, growers keep the variety going by cuttings, grafting, or other methods instead of planting normal seeds. That is why many seedless fruits are popular in stores: they are convenient, tidy, and useful for eating fresh or using in recipes.

Although the word can be understood literally in any context, its main use is still straightforward and physical: something seedless does not have seeds in it. It is not usually used for ideas or arguments. In normal English, you will hear it far more often in supermarkets, recipes, gardens, and discussions of fruit than in figurative writing.