sēmen, ĭnis, n. [root sa-, sē-; cf.: sero, sevi; Saturnus, sator, etc.].
I Seed.
1 Of plants, Cato R. R. 17; 27; 31 fin. ; 34; Varr. R. R. 1, 40 sq.: semen manu spargere, Cic. Rosc. Am. 18, 50: terra semen excepit, id. Sen. 15, 51; id. N. D. 2, 32, 81; Ov. M. 1, 108; 7, 623 et saep.—
2 Of men, animals, etc., Plaut. Am. 5, 2, 9; Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 4; 2, 3, 4; 3, 7, 10 al.; Lucr. 4, 1031; 4, 1034 sq.; Cels. 4, 19; Ov. M. 1, 748; 15, 760 et saep.—
3 Poet., of the elements of other bodies (of fire, water, stones, etc.): ignis semina convolvunt e nubibus, Lucr. 6, 201 sq.; 6, 444; 6, 507; 6, 841: quaerit pars semina flammae in venis silicis, Verg. A. 6, 6; Ov. M. 11, 144 et saep.: in animis quasi virtutum igniculi et semina, Cic. Fin. 5, 7, 18; so id. Div. 1, 3, 6: alicujus quaestionis, Liv. 40, 19.—
B κατʼ ἐξοχήν, spelt-seed , spelt , Plin. 18, 8, 19, § 82; 18, 24, 55, § 198; Col. 2, 12, 1; cf. Isid. Orig. 17, 3, 6.—
II Transf.
A A shoot used for propagating; a graft , scion , set , slip , cutting , Varr. R. R. 1, 40, 5; Verg. G. 2, 354; Col. 3, 3, 4; 3, 4, 1; 5, 10, 1 et saep.—
2 A stock , race (very rare): genus ac semen, Cic. Agr. 2, 35, 95; so (with genus) id. Phil. 4, 5, 13: ipsa regio semine orta, Liv. 1, 47: videndum, ut boni seminis pecus habeas, Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 4.—
3 Posterity , progeny , offspring , child (poet.): non tulit in cineres labi sua Phoebus eosdem Semina, sed natum flammis Eripuit, Ov. M. 2, 629; so, semina, id. ib. 10, 470; 15, 216; id. F. 2, 383; id. Tr. 2, 415; Sen. Herc. Fur. 987; Vulg. Gen. 15, 5 et saep.—
II Trop., as in all languages, seed , i. e. origin , occasion , ground , cause; of persons, an author , prompter , insligator , etc. (class.).
α Sing. (the predom. signif. in Cic.): stirps ac semen malorum omnium, Cic. Cat. 1, 12, 30: bellorum civilium semen et causa, id. Off. 2, 8, 29, cf. ut in seminibus est causa arborum et stirpium: sic hujus belli semen ut fuisti (for which, just before: causam belli in personā tuā constitisse), id. Phil. 2, 22, 55: sceleris, Plaut. Rud. 2, 2, 21.—
β Plur. : in animis, quasi virtutum igniculi atque semina, Cic. Fin. 5, 7, 18: quod et Zeno in suis commentariis quasi semina quaedam sparsisset, id. Div. 1, 3, 6: si virtutes sunt, ad quas nobis initia quaedam ac semina sunt concessa naturā, Quint. 2, 20, 6: loquaces, seditiosos, semina discordiarum (tribunos plebis), Liv. 3, 19, 5: vix tamen illa semina erant futurae luxuriae, the small beginnings , id. 39, 6, 9; cf. id. 40, 19, 9: discordiae, Tac. H. 1, 53; 4, 18 fin. : belli, id. A. 4, 27; 16, 7: rebellionis, id. ib. 11, 19: motus, id. ib. 3, 41. futuri exitii, id. ib. 4, 60: ejus facultatis, Quint. 2, 20, 6: quamquam semina ejus (translationis) quaedam apud Aristotelen reperiuntur, id. 3, 6, 60: quaedam probationum, id. 4, 2, 54: veteris eloquentiae, Tac. Or. 33; Sen. Ep. 90, 29.