spawn

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To produce or deposit (eggs) in water.
2. (transitive) To generate, bring into being, especially non-mammalian beings in very large numbers.
3. (transitive) To bring forth in general.
4. (transitive) To induce (aquatic organisms) to spawn.
5. (transitive) To plant with fungal spawn.
6. (intransitive) To deposit (numerous) eggs in water.
7. (intransitive) To reproduce, especially in large numbers.
8. (ergative) To appear, or cause (something or someone) to appear, spontaneously in a game world at a particular place and time.
9. (Internet, ergative, figuratively) To appear, or cause (something or someone) to appear, unexpectedly and seemingly out of nowhere.
10. (Internet, figuratively, humorous, intransitive) Of a person or non-egg-laying animal: to be born.

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) The numerous eggs of an aquatic organism.
2. (countable, uncountable) Mushroom mycelium prepared for (aided) propagation.
3. (countable, uncountable) Any germ or seed, even a figurative source.
4. (countable, derogatory, often, uncountable) Any germ or seed, even a figurative source.
5. (countable, uncountable) The buds or branches produced from underground stems.
6. (countable, uncountable) Synonym of spawn point.

Synonyms

roe

breed

lay eggs

engender

offspring

produce

egg

🥚

generate

eggs

spat

lay

ovum

mycelium

propagate

give birth to

incur

induce

involve

lead

nursery

occasion

originate

ova

pose

pour out

procreate

product

prompt

propel

quantity production

reproduce

result

trigger off

young fish

breeding ground

fish egg

lay an egg

lead up

small fish

seed-plot

oviposit

volume-produce

kind of fish

fish’s roe

frog spawn

hyphae

oocytes

ovules

zona pellucida

bacterial filament

Translations

desovar

laichen

Laich

viskuit

engendrer

engendrar

kikkerdril

kuit

gerar

frai

hervorbringen

huevas

hueva

paaien

yumurtlamak

Pronounced as (IPA)

/spɔːn/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: spawnen

Inherited from Middle English: spawne

In summary

Recorded since 1413; from Middle English spawnen, from Anglo-Norman espaundre, from Old French espandre, from Latin expandere (“stretch out; spread out”, verb). Doublet of expand. Compare also Middle English spalden, spolden, spawden (“to cut open (a fish)”).