offspring
Americannoun
plural
offspring, offsprings-
children or young of a particular parent or progenitor.
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a child or animal in relation to the parent or parents.
-
a descendant.
-
descendants collectively.
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the product, result, or effect of something.
the offspring of an inventive mind.
noun
-
the immediate descendant or descendants of a person, animal, etc; progeny
-
a product, outcome, or result
Etymology
Origin of offspring
First recorded before 950; Middle English; Old English ofspring; off, of 1, spring (in the sense “to descend from”)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
All 19 offspring have names starting with the letter J.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
When ratifying the amendment in 1868, however, Congress explicitly recognized that it would also apply to the American-born offspring of immigrants.
From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026
Rather, some who were born with slightly longer necks because of their genetic makeup became better fed and left more offspring.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
It added that when a cocker spaniel was bred with a poodle, those characteristics - combined with them having smaller crossbred offspring - could result in more problem behaviour.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026
“Nothing? Not even a smile? Well, then, that settles it. All my offspring have my nose and sense of humor.”
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
