English Explanatory Dictionary

spawn

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To produce or deposit (eggs) in water.
  2. To generate, bring into being, especially nonmammalian beings in very large numbers.
  3. To bring forth in general.
  4. To induce (aquatic organisms) to spawn.
  5. To plant with fungal spawn.
  6. To deposit (numerous) eggs in water.
  7. To reproduce, especially in large numbers.
  8. To appear, or cause (something or someone) to appear, spontaneously in a game world at a particular place and time.
  9. To appear, or cause (something or someone) to appear, unexpectedly and seemingly out of nowhere.
  10. Of a person or non-egglaying animal: to be born.
noun
  1. The numerous eggs of an aquatic organism.
  2. Mushroom mycelium prepared for (aided) propagation.
  3. Any germ or seed, even a figurative source.
  4. Children; offspring.
  5. The buds or branches produced from underground stems.
  6. Synonym of spawn point.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/spɔːn/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-spawn.wav /spɔn/ /spɑn/ /spɑɒn/

Word forms

spawn spawns spawning spawned

Etymology

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)”).

Synonyms

spawn point

Derived words

despawn spawnable spawner spawny unspawned respawn crotch spawn demonspawn frogspawn hellspawn mushroom spawn queerspawn spawn camp spawn camper spawn eater spawnkill spawnling spawn point spawnproof

Translations

Bulgarian: потомък Bulgarian: изчадие Czech: výplod Finnish: lähde Finnish: alkulähde French: rejeton German: Ausgeburt German: Ausgeburt des Teufels Māori: paratau Polish: pomiot Polish: nasienie Russian: пото́мство Russian: вы́водок Russian: порожде́ние Russian: отро́дье Serbo-Croatian: potomak Turkish: nesil Turkish: soy Turkish: zürriyet Turkish: döl
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