offspring

[ awf-spring, of- ]

noun

, plural off·spring, off·springs.

1. children or young of a particular parent or progenitor.
2. a child or animal in relation to the parent or parents.
3. a descendant.
4. descendants collectively.
5. the product, result, or effect of something:

   the offspring of an inventive mind.

offspring

/ ˈɒfˌsprɪŋ /

noun

1. the immediate descendant or descendants of a person, animal, etc; progeny
2. a product, outcome, or result

Word History and Origins

Origin of offspring¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English; Old English ofspring; off, of ¹, spring (in the sense “to descend from”)

Example Sentences

And yet, I was recently reminded of this plantslaughter, totally out of the blue, when my phone showed me a proud photo of my green offspring in its former glory as a “memory.”

From Slate

The bird lays just one egg at a time and spends the next two years caring for its offspring.

From BBC

Jimmy Kimmel, another showbiz offspring of Carson, considers him the Abe Lincoln of late-night TV, his stature qualifying for Mount Rushmore status in the comedy world.

From Los Angeles Times

Although less well-studied, there is also evidence a father's diet, health, sperm quantity and quality can have similar health impacts on their offspring.

From Salon

A perceived threat prompts humans to tend to offspring and create social-emotional bonds for protection and comfort.

From Salon

Related Words

• baby
• brood
• child
• cub
• daughter
• descendant
• generation
• heir
• kid
• progeny
• pup
• son