poppy-seed
UK[ˈpɒpi siːd]US[ˈpɑːpi siːd]
n
The small, round, black or grey seed of the poppy plant, used as a flavouring and decoration in baking.
Morpheme Breakdown
poppy
seed
poppy
plant
seed
reproductive unit
Etymology
The compound "poppy-seed" is a transparent English formation that directly names the seed of a specific plant. The first element, "poppy", entered English from Latin papaver, though its deeper origins are obscure and possibly pre-Latin. The second element, "seed", is a fundamental Germanic word with a clear agricultural meaning, traceable to the Proto-Indo-European root sē-, meaning "to sow". The logic of the compound is purely descriptive, combining the source plant with its product, reflecting its primary use as a culinary ingredient harvested from the seed capsule of the opium poppy and related species.
Analysis
Structure: poppy (plant) + seed (reproductive unit)
poppy: From Old English popæg, popig, via Latin papaver, of unknown ultimate origin. Denotes the flowering plant of the genus Papaver.
seed: From Old English sǣd, from Proto-Germanic sēdiz, meaning "that which is sown". Denotes the reproductive unit of a plant.
Examples
The bagel was topped with a generous sprinkling of poppy-seed.
Poppy-seed is often used in traditional Eastern European pastries.
You could taste the distinct, nutty flavor of poppy-seed in the cake.