A seedy area is a place that is generally run-down and in disrepair. It is often associated with poverty, crime, and other social issues. The term 'seedy area' can be broken down into two words: 'SOIL' and 'SLUM'. SOIL is the upper layer of earth in which plants grow and is often used to describe a place that is dirty or neglected. A SLUM is an area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor. Together, these two words form the term 'seedy area', which describes a place that is in a state of disrepair and poverty.