spawn

UK: /ˈspɔːn/ US: /spɔn/ ,(spôn)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

spawn /spɔn/   n. 

1. Zoology [uncountable] the mass of eggs deposited in the water by fishes and other creatures that live in the water.
2. any person or thing thought of as the offspring of some other thing, idea, etc.:
   [countable] The evil being was the devil's spawn.

v. 

3. Zoology to lay eggs or deposit sperm directly into the water:
   [no object] Salmon swim upriver to their birthplaces in order to spawn.
4. [~ + object]
   • to produce (spawn).
   • to produce (a large number):
     to spawn thousands of little creatures.
5. to give rise to;
   generate:
   [~ + object] His disappearance spawned many rumors.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

spawn (spôn),  n. 

1. Zoology the mass of eggs deposited by fishes, amphibians, mollusks, crustaceans, etc.
2. Fungi [Mycol.] the mycelium of mushrooms, esp. of the species grown for the market.
3. a swarming brood;
   numerous progeny.
4. (used with a sing. or pl. v.) any person or thing regarded as the offspring of some stock, idea, etc.

v.i. 

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

v.t. 

6. Zoology to produce (spawn).
7. to give birth to;
   give rise to:
   His sudden disappearance spawned many rumors.
8. to produce in large number.
9. Botany to plant with mycelium.

• Anglo-French espaundre (Old French espandre) to expand
• Middle English spawnen (verb, verbal), probably 1350–1400

spawn′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 7. engender, generate, yield, beget.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

spawn / spɔːn/ noun

1. the mass of eggs deposited by fish, amphibians, or molluscs
2. offspring, product, or yield
3. the nontechnical name for mycelium

verb

1. (of fish, amphibians, etc) to produce or deposit (eggs)
2. (of people) to produce (offspring)
3. (transitive) to produce or engender

Etymology: 14th Century: from Anglo-Norman espaundre, from Old French spandre to spread out, expand

ˈspawner noun