spawn

American  

[spawn] / spɔn /

noun

plural

spawn, spawns

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

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

3. Usually Disparaging. a swarming brood; numerous progeny.

   Diners at the restaurant were annoyed by the two inconsiderate parents and their unruly spawn.

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

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adjective

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

   a spawn point;

   the spawn rate.

verb (used without object)

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

2. (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)

1. to produce (spawn).

2. to give birth to; give rise to.

   His sudden disappearance spawned many rumors.

   Synonyms:

   beget, yield, generate, engender

3. to produce in large number.

4. to plant with mycelium.

spawn British  

/ spɔːn /

noun

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

2. derogatory offspring, product, or yield

3. botany the nontechnical name for mycelium

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verb

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

2. derogatory (of people) to produce (offspring)

3. (tr) to produce or engender

spawn Scientific  

/ spôn /

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

2. Offspring produced in large numbers.

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1. To lay eggs; produce spawn.

Other Word Forms

• spawner noun
• unspawned adjective

Etymology

Origin of spawn

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

Example Sentences

These fish depend on long, uninterrupted river pathways that link spawning grounds, feeding areas, and floodplain nurseries, often across multiple countries.

From Science Daily

With the 20th anniversary of the pilot this month, we look back at how a producer and his neighbors spawned a sprawling reality TV universe.

From Los Angeles Times

If the concentration reflects an expanding market bubble spawned by overoptimism about AI, then continuing to invest in index funds is too risky.

From The Wall Street Journal

Pook said the district is releasing less water from its reservoirs now, in order to preserve more for the fall when salmon migrate upriver to spawn.

From Los Angeles Times

The Great Depression spawned mass unemployment and economic hardship, but it was also the era of Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington, William Faulkner and John Steinbeck, “Gone With the Wind” and “The Wizard of Oz.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• create
• generate