One distinction between cuttings and seedlings (I think that might have been the word in question) is that taking cuttings is asexual reproduction of a plant. i.e. you get a plant identical, genetically to its parent.
Seedlings are the result of pollenation which is sexual reproduction, and the plant is genetically different from its parent.
Example: Take a cutting of helleborus (lenten rose) [if you can] and the cutting will bloom true to its parent, however, if you grow helleborus from seed, even from similar plants, the result may bloom completely differently from either of the parents.
Fun things to know and do with plants