spawn

[ spawn ]

/ spɔn /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR spawn ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural spawn, spawns.

Zoology. the mass of eggs deposited by fishes, amphibians, mollusks, crustaceans, etc.

Mycology. the mycelium of mushrooms, especially of the species grown for the market.

Usually Disparaging. a swarming brood; numerous progeny:Diners at the restaurant were annoyed by the two inconsiderate parents and their unruly spawn.

any person or thing regarded as the offspring of some stock, idea, etc.

adjective

of or relating to the spawning of a character or item in a video game:a spawn point;the spawn rate.

verb (used without object)

to deposit eggs or sperm directly into the water, as fishes.

(of a character or item in a video game) to originate at a fixed point in an existing game environment:An enemy character just spawned right on top of me!

verb (used with object)

to produce (spawn).

to give birth to; give rise to: His sudden disappearance spawned many rumors.

to produce in large number.

to plant with mycelium.

Nearby words

Origin of spawn

1350–1400; Middle English spawnen (v.), probably < Anglo-French espaundre (Old French espandre) to expand

SYNONYMS FOR spawn

9 engender, generate, yield, beget.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR spawn ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsspawn·er, nounun·spawned, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for spawn

Well known for his gimmicks, Daylyt entered the stage in a Spawn costume that could stop traffic at Comic Con.
America’s Poets: Battle Rap Gets Real|Rich Goldstein|July 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That is not to say that the focus on Cohle and Hart does not spawn two compelling performances.
‘True Detective,’ Obsessive-Compulsive Noir, and ‘Twin Peaks’|Jimmy So|March 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Replaying sections will spawn enemies in the same place, but what happens then changes from time to time.
‘Killzone: Shadow Fall’ Review: Oh My God, This PlayStation 4 Game Is Beautiful|Alec Kubas-Meyer|November 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST
After surprising box office success, The Terminator would go on to spawn three sequels.
The Week in Nostalgia: ‘Halloween’ Turns 35, Butch and Sundance Debut, and the iPod is Born (VIDEO)|Chancellor Agard|October 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST

This idea is really the spawn of Mark Levin, the wingnut radio host, who has (of course) written a book about it.
Mark Levin's Nutty Constitutional Convention Idea|Michael Tomasky|August 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST
For commercial purposes the English method of making the spawn into bricks has some advantages over the French "flake" process.
Student's Hand-book of Mushrooms of America, Edible and Poisonous|Thomas Taylor
The salmon go over a hundred miles up to the McCloud River to spawn, and will jump or leap up small falls or rapids in their way.
Stories of California|Ella M. Sexton
The important thing should be to ascertain if the spawn spreads through the bed properly.
Mushroom Culture|W. Robinson
At Whitsuntide this year no Laplander was at church, the pikes happening to spawn just at that time.
Lachesis Lapponica|Carl von Linn
These cones consisted of half-melted ice, gelatinous, and much like the spawn of a frog.
Ten Thousand Wonderful Things|Edmund Fillingham King

British Dictionary definitions for spawn

spawn

/ (spɔːn) /

noun

the mass of eggs deposited by fish, amphibians, or molluscs

often derogatory offspring, product, or yield

botany the nontechnical name for mycelium

verb

(of fish, amphibians, etc) to produce or deposit (eggs)

often derogatory (of people) to produce (offspring)

(tr) to produce or engender

Derived Formsspawner, noun

Word Origin for spawn

C14: from Anglo-Norman espaundre, from Old French spandre to spread out, expand

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for spawn (1 of 2)

spawn

early 15c., from Anglo-French espaundre, Old French espandre "to spread out, pour out," from Latin expandere (see expand). The notion is of a "spreading out" of fish eggs released in water. The meaning "to engender, give rise to" is attested from 1590s. Related: Spawned; spawning.

Word Origin and History for spawn (1 of 2)

spawn

early 15c., from spawn (v.); figurative sense of "brood, offspring" is from 1580s.

Science definitions for spawn

spawn

[ spôn ]

Noun

The eggs of water animals such as fish, amphibians, and mollusks.

Offspring produced in large numbers.

Verb

To lay eggs; produce spawn.

spawn

noun, plural spawn, spawns.

adjective

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

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Nearby words

Origin of spawn

Examples from the Web for spawn

British Dictionary definitions for spawn

spawn

noun

verb

Word Origin for spawn

Word Origin and History for spawn (1 of 2)

spawn

Word Origin and History for spawn (1 of 2)

spawn

Science definitions for spawn

spawn

Noun

Verb