sprout

American  

[sprout] / spraʊt /

verb (used without object)

1. to begin to grow; shoot forth, as a plant from a seed.

   Synonyms:

   develop, burgeon, bud, spring

2. (of a seed or plant) to put forth buds or shoots.

3. to develop or grow quickly.

   a boy awkwardly sprouting into manhood.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause to sprout.

2. to remove sprouts from.

   Sprout and boil the potatoes.

noun

1. a shoot of a plant.

2. a new growth from a germinating seed, or from a rootstock, tuber, bud, or the like.

3. something resembling or suggesting a sprout, as in growth.

4. a young person; youth.

5. sprouts,

   1. the young shoots of alfalfa, soybeans, etc., eaten as a raw vegetable.

   2. Brussels sprout.

sprout British  

/ spraʊt /

verb

1. (of a plant, seed, etc) to produce (new leaves, shoots, etc)

2. to begin to grow or develop

   new office blocks are sprouting up all over the city

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noun

1. a newly grown shoot or bud

2. something that grows like a sprout

3. See Brussels sprout

Other Word Forms

• nonsprouting adjective
• resprout verb
• undersprout noun
• unsprouted adjective
• unsprouting adjective

Etymology

Origin of sprout

1150–1200; (v.) Middle English spr ( o ) uten, Old English -sprūtan, in āsproten (past participle; a- ³ ); cognate with Middle Dutch sprūten, German spriessen to sprout; akin to Greek speírein to scatter; (noun) Middle English; compare Middle Dutch, Middle Low German sprute

Explanation

A sprout is a small growth on a plant — a little new bud. Other things can sprout too: kids are constantly sprouting (growing). The key thing to think of when you're trying to remember the meaning of sprout is growth — as a noun, a sprout is a new growth of a plant, and as a verb, to sprout means to grow. Sprouting mainly applies to height and to the young, whether you're talking about plants, people, or things. An older person who gains fifty pounds is growing but not sprouting.

Example Sentences

The cinema is a place where new ideas sprout and beliefs are forged.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026

Their Brussels sprout appetizer with balsamic glaze is amazing.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

"Some branches would die off, and others would sprout up," he said.

From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026

Moreover, Bernstein says, the disruption to the traditional eyewear market will be irreversible, as new suppliers sprout to feed tech’s demand for glasses hardware.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

Suddenly my hand reaches out on its own and with a twirl of my fingers, Dylan’s sprout grows and blooms with petals of sparkling clear glass.

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

Related Words

• burgeon
• germinate
• grow