Offspring

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈɒfsprɪŋ/
• US enPR: äfʹsprÄ­ng, IPA: /ˈɑfsprɪŋ/

Origin

From Middle English ofspring, from Old English ofspring ("offspring, descendants, posterity"), equivalent to - + spring. Compare Icelandic afspringr ("offspring"). More at off, spring.

Full definition of offspring

Noun

1. A person's daughter(s) and/or son(s); a person's children.
2. All a person's descendants, including further generations.
3. An animal or plant's progeny, an animal or plant's young.
• 2013, Katrina G. Claw, Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm, In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual.
4. (figuratively) Another produce, result of an entity's efforts.
   Artists often treasure their works as their immortal offspring.
5. (computing) A process launched by another process.

Usage notes

The form offsprings is also used for the plural, especially the computing sense.

Synonyms

• (daughter(s) and/or son(s)) baby/babies, child/children, issue plural only, get
• (all descendants) descendants, lineage, progeny, get

Antonyms

• (daughter(s) and/or son(s)) genitor rare, parent, progenitor, father male, mother female
• (descendants) ancestors, forbears/forebears, forefathers

Derived terms

• donor offspring
• parent-offspring conflict