offspring

noun

off·spring | \ ˈȯf-ˌspriŋ

plural offspring also offsprings

Definition of offspring

1a : the product of the reproductive processes of a person, animal, or plant : young, progeny The disease can be transmitted from parent to offspring.

b : the immediate descendant of a person or animal : an individual born of a parent gave birth to a single offspring "… He was becoming irascible as well, impatient—with me especially, because I was his only offspring [=child]. …"— Anthony Hopkins

2a : product, result … scholarly manuscripts—the labored offsprings of PhDs …— Donna Martin … the substitution of the typewriter and its offspring for the author's own hand.— Jacques Barzun

b : offshoot sense 1a … you can hear this Caribbean club music, a hard-edged and party-heavy offspring of reggae …— Lorraine Ali

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About offspring

Examples of offspring in a Sentence

The show is about two couples and the adventures of their rebellious offspring. The colt is the offspring of two racing champions.

Recent Examples on the Web Spirit, a nearly 3-month-old eaglet who is the offspring of celebrity bald eagles Shadow and Jackie, took her first flight early Tuesday. — Christian Martinezstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2022 If so, these cats were abandoned by your neighbors or are the offspring of those felines. — Cathy M. Rosenthal, San Antonio Express-News, 12 May 2022 The people who rioted in 1992 were the offspring of that history of abandonment. — New York Times, 28 Apr. 2022 Sadly though, despite being the offspring of two all-time culinary greats, Indian pizza is more of a Chet Hanks than a Zoë Kravitz. — Soleil Ho, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2022 Oviva is one of 19 offspring companies tucked into the Cambrian fold that address certain system-wide triggers of aging. — Alex Zhavoronkov, Forbes, 19 May 2022 Eight months later, the killers’ offspring are born. — Ben Taub, The New Yorker, 16 May 2022 But when threatened, this furry marsupial will create a diversion by expelling offspring from its pouch by relaxing the muscles, allowing its charge to fall to the ground. — Kristen Rogers, CNN, 8 May 2022 Vivian Olyphant, Timothy’s real-life daughter, will play the same role as Raylan’s offspring. — Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 May 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'offspring.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.