Main Entry: ¹spawn

Pronunciation: \ˈspȯn, ˈspän\

Function: verb

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French espandre to spread out, shed, scatter, spawn, from Latin expandere to expand

Date: 15th century

intransitive verb 1 : to deposit or fertilize spawn
2 : to produce young especially in large numberstransitive verb 1 a : to produce or deposit (eggs) —used of an aquatic animal b : to induce (fish) to spawn c : to plant with mushroom spawn
2 : bring forth, generate <the idea spawned controversy>

— spawn·er noun