seed

A seed article is the very smallest amount of information needed to define a subject – often just one or two bits of information around which an article will gradually mature, with proper care and nurturing. Seed articles often go through a seedling phase before reaching full maturity.

Unlike Wikipedia articles, many articles on begin life as directories or lists of links, and definitional text need only be inserted to help clarify the overall nature of the subject or as a guide to other articles available. When an article remains marked as a seed even though it appears to have substantial content, this is usually what is wanted -- some kind of overview of the subject, preferably with explanations of how the information available elsewhere in the article fits in with the big picture.