spawn

[ spawn ]
See synonyms for spawn on Thesaurus.com
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.

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

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

adjective
  1. 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)
  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.

  1. to produce in large number.

  2. to plant with mycelium.

Origin of spawn

1
1350–1400; Middle English spawnen (v.), probably <Anglo-French espaundre (Old French espandre) to expand

Other words for spawn

Other words from spawn

  • spawner, noun
  • un·spawned, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for spawn

spawn

/ (spɔːn) /


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

  2. often derogatory offspring, product, or yield

  1. botany the nontechnical name for mycelium

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

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

  1. (tr) to produce or engender

Origin of spawn

1
C14: from Anglo-Norman espaundre, from Old French spandre to spread out, expand

Derived forms of spawn

  • spawner, noun

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

Scientific definitions for spawn

spawn

[ spôn ]


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

  2. Offspring produced in large numbers.

Verb
  1. To lay eggs; produce spawn.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.