deseed

IPA/dɪsˈiːd/
IPA/dᵻsˈiːd/

deseed — verb

  • deseedpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • deseeds3rd person singular
  • deseeding-ing form
  • deseededpast simple

1. to take the seeds out of a fruit or vegetable, especially as a step when prepari

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to take the seeds out of a fruit or vegetable, especially as a step when preparing food

Example

The chef showed the class how to deseed a pomegranate without staining their fingers.

transitive: deseed + specific fruit

Mei-Lin carefully deseeded the red bell peppers before stuffing them with rice and herbs.

Common collocations
  • deseed a pepper
  • deseed a chili
  • deseed a tomato
  • deseed a cucumber
  • deseed a pomegranate
Synonyms
  • seed

    Also used informally as a verb meaning to remove seeds, especially in British cookbooks ('seed the tomatoes'). Less precise than 'deseed'.

  • core

    Specifically for removing the hard centre of apples or pears, not seeds throughout the flesh.

  • pit

    For removing the single large stone from fruits such as peaches, avocados, or cherries.

Antonyms
  • seed

    To sow or plant seeds, the opposite action.

Grammar Patterns

deseed + object (fruit/vegetable)

Usage Note

Common in recipes and cooking instructions. The object is usually a fruit or vegetable that contains visible seeds.

Common Mistakes

Please seed the watermelon before serving.
Please deseed the watermelon before serving.
In cooking contexts, 'seed' as a verb normally means to sow or plant; 'deseed' is the correct term for removing seeds from fruit.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe removing the inedible part of a fruit or vegetable, but they apply to different structures. Deseed is the broadest term, covering any fruit or vegetable where visible seeds are removed before cooking or eating. Seed can be used as a verb in the same sense in British cookbooks ('seed the tomatoes') but is ambiguous — it also means to sow or scatter seeds. Core is specific to apples, pears, and pineapples, where a tough central part is cut out. Pit (American English) refers to removing the single large stone from fruits like peaches, avocados, or mangoes. For example: 'Deseed the bell peppers before stuffing them,' but 'Pit the avocados and scoop out the flesh.'

deseed ↗seed ↗core ↗pit ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • before cooking
  • before eating
  • before chopping

Etymology

English

Formed in modern English by adding the prefix de- (meaning 'remove' or 'reverse') to the noun seed. The structure is similar to other cooking terms such as debone, shell, or peel. First recorded use in the mid-20th century.