spawn

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /spɔːn/ (General American) IPA(key): /spɔn/ (cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /spɑn/ Rhymes: -ɔːn === Etymology 1 === 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)”). ==== Verb ==== spawn (third-person singular simple present spawns, present participle spawning, simple past and past participle spawned) (transitive) To produce or deposit (eggs) in water. (transitive) To generate, bring into being, especially nonmammalian beings in very large numbers. (transitive) To bring forth in general. (transitive) To induce (aquatic organisms) to spawn. (transitive) To plant with fungal spawn. (intransitive) To deposit (numerous) eggs in water. (intransitive) To reproduce, especially in large numbers. (ergative, video games) To appear, or cause (something or someone) to appear, spontaneously in a game world at a particular place and time. Hyponym: respawn (ergative, figuratively, Internet slang) To appear, or cause (something or someone) to appear, unexpectedly and seemingly out of nowhere. (intransitive, figuratively, Internet slang, humorous) Of a person or non-egglaying animal: to be born. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From Middle English spawne, from the verb (see above). ==== Noun ==== spawn (countable and uncountable, plural spawn or spawns) The numerous eggs of an aquatic organism. Mushroom mycelium prepared for (aided) propagation. Any germ or seed, even a figurative source. (often derogatory) Children; offspring. (horticulture) The buds or branches produced from underground stems. (video games) Synonym of spawn point. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Anagrams === WPANs, pawns