What does hempseed mean?
Hempseed is the seed of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa, and is valued as a compact source of protein, unsaturated fats, and essential fatty acids. The small seeds have a mild, nutty flavor and may be eaten raw or roasted, ground into meal, or pressed to produce hempseed oil. They are also used in foods such as cereals, breads, plant-based milk, and salad dressings, as well as in animal feed and birdseed. Removing the hard outer hull leaves the edible kernel, commonly sold as a hempseed heart. Although its name associates it with cannabis, hempseed has a long history as a nutritious food and useful agricultural product, separate from the plant’s more widely discussed non-food uses.
nounThe seed of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa), especially the edible kernel used as food, animal feed, or a source of oil.
- The seed of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa), used as food, animal feed, and a source of oil.
"The bakery mills hempseed into a nutritious powder."
"Hempseed hearts make a nutritious addition to salads and cereals."
"Hempseed oil gives salad dressing a mild, nutty flavor."
Hempseed is usually a mass noun, but hempseeds is used when individual seeds are counted or emphasized.
"The farmer counted the hempseeds before feeding them to the birds."
Hempseed was once pressed into lamp oil, a reminder that the cannabis plant has long served useful purposes far beyond recreation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hempseed come from?
The English compound hempseed was formed by joining hemp and seed. Hemp comes from Old English hǣmpe, a Germanic term whose deeper origin is uncertain. Seed comes from Old English sǣd, a Germanic formation associated with sowing; related English forms include seedling, while hempfield is a later compound built on hemp.
Related word forms
How hempseed is actually used
The closed form hempseed is standard in compounds and technical writing, while hemp seed is common in food and retail contexts. It is usually treated as a mass noun for the seeds collectively, although hempseeds can be used to count individual seeds.
Easily confused with hempseed
Hemp is the plant or its fibrous material, whereas hempseed is its edible seed.