WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
sow1 /soʊ/USA pronunciation
v., sowed, sown /soʊn/USA pronunciation or sowed, sow•ing.
sow•er, n. [countable]
sow2 /saʊ/USA pronunciation n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Agricultureto scatter (seed) over or on (land, etc.), for growth;
plant: [~ + object]to sow seeds on the farm.[~ + object]to sow the farm with seeds.[no object]It was not quite time for sowing. - to introduce, begin, or spread:[~ + object]sowing distrust among his coworkers.
- Idioms sow one's wild oats, to behave in a reckless way, esp. by having many sexual partners due to youth and immaturity:to sow their wild oats before getting married.
- sow the seeds of, [~ + object] to cause (something, esp. something undesirable) to develop:to sow the seeds of hatred.
sow•er, n. [countable]
sow2 /saʊ/USA pronunciation n. [countable]
- Animal Husbandryan adult female pig.
sow1 (sō),USA pronunciation
v., sowed, sown or sowed, sow•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
sow′a•ble, adj.
sow′er, n.
sow2 (sou),USA pronunciationn.
sow′like′, adj.
v.t.
- Agricultureto scatter (seed) over land, earth, etc., for growth;
plant. - Agricultureto plant seed for:to sow a crop.
- Agricultureto scatter seed over (land, earth, etc.) for the purpose of growth.
- to implant, introduce, or promulgate;
seek to propagate or extend;
disseminate:to sow distrust or dissension. - to strew or sprinkle with anything.
v.i.
- Agricultureto sow seed, as for the production of a crop.
- bef. 900; Middle English sowen, Old English sāwan; cognate with Dutch zaaien, German säen, Old Norse sā, Gothic saian; akin to seed, Latin sēmen seed, serere to sow
sow′er, n.
- 4. inject, lodge, circulate.
sow2 (sou),USA pronunciation
- Animal Husbandryan adult female swine.
- Zoologythe adult female of various other animals, as the bear.
- Metallurgy
- a large oblong mass of iron that has solidified in the common channel through which the molten metal flows to the smaller channels in which the pigs solidify.
- the common channel itself.
- a basin holding any of certain molten nonferrous metals to be cast.
- bef. 900; Middle English sowe, Old English sugu; cognate with German Sau, Old Norse sȳr, Latin sūs, Greek hûs, Tocharian B suwo; see swine
'sower' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):