This rare noun, appearing only in Joel 1:17, apparently means seeds, grains, or kernels. The etymology suggests 'separated things' or 'scattered ones,' possibly referring to individual seeds or grain kernels. The word appears in Joel's graphic description of drought and agricultural catastrophe, where even the stored seed has shriveled and rotted under the clods. The broader context depicts comprehensive agricultural failure: withered grain, dried-up vines, languishing trees, and dismayed farmers. This term captures the most basic level of agricultural hope—the seed for next year's planting—now destroyed.