spawn
v.v. to produce or create something in large numbers, often very quickly. It can also mean to lay eggs in water, like fish or frogs do.
v. to produce or generate offspring or results in large quantities. Often describes the mass release of eggs by aquatic animals or, metaphorically, the rapid emergence of new ideas or products.
The successful movie spawned several sequels.
The tech giant's new software platform is expected to spawn a whole industry of third-party applications.
In the shallow waters of the reef, thousands of fish gather to spawn simultaneously, a biological event that attracts predators from across the ocean.
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)”).
From Middle English spawne, from the verb (see above).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Transitive when meaning to generate results; intransitive when referring to the biological act of laying eggs.
Last updated May 6, 2026