spawn

Meanings

Verb

• To produce or deposit (eggs) in water.
• To generate, bring into being, especially non-mammalian beings in very large numbers.
• To bring forth in general.
• To induce (aquatic organisms) to spawn.
• To plant with fungal spawn.
• To deposit (numerous) eggs in water.
• To reproduce, especially in large numbers.
• (To cause) to appear spontaneously in a game at a certain point and time.

Noun

• The numerous eggs of an aquatic organism.
• Mushroom mycelium prepared for (aided) propagation.
• Any germ or seed, even a figurative source; offspring.
• The buds or branches produced from underground stems.
• The location in a game where characters or objects spontaneously appear.

Origin

• Recorded since 1413; from Middle English spawnen, from Anglo-Norman espaundre, from Old French espandre, from Latin expandere. expand. Compare also Middle English spalden, spolden, spawden.
• From Middle English spawne, from the verb (see above).