offspring

noun off·spring \ ˈȯf-ˌspriŋ \

Updated on: 9 May 2018

plural offspring also offsprings

1 a : the product of the reproductive processes of an animal or plant : young, progeny

The disease can be transmitted from parent to offspring.

b : child

a mother of numerous offspring

2 a : 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 1a

See offspring defined for English-language learners

See offspring defined for kids

Examples of offspring in a Sentence

The disease can be transmitted from parent to offspring.
The show is about two couples and the adventures of their rebellious offspring.
The colt is the offspring of two racing champions.

Recent Examples of offspring from the Web

But there are baby old growth forests — offspring of the giant white pines and hemlocks that once dominated the forest skyline.

— peter marteka, courant.com, "A Hike Among Giants Worthy Of A King's Mark," 5 May 2018
Her three offspring that have reached the racetrack are all winners.

— paul rolfes, The Courier-Journal, "Kentucky Derby winner Justify comes from a line of champions," 5 May 2018
If your offspring tend to be worrywarts, start your day at Easton’s Beach by visiting the Save the Bay Exploration Center & Aquarium (401-324-6020; savebay.org/aquarium).

— BostonGlobe.com, "The 20 best beaches to visit in New England," 2 May 2018
There’s a kids menu, too, with smaller pad Thai and fried rice portions, should your offspring not be like ours, who opted for the chicken nuggets and fries.

— anna caplan, star-telegram, "It's difficult to choose a favorite dish at the impressive Thai Orange | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 1 May 2018
During his time as the silverback, Ramar was known to be protective of his family and playful with his offspring.

— tony briscoe, chicagotribune.com, "Ramar, western lowland gorilla who was Brookfield Zoo's oldest animal, dies at 50," 12 Apr. 2018
No long-term risks have been identified for women or their offspring due to its use.

— marie mccullough, Philly.com, "'Abortion pill reversal' controversy heats up with new study," 6 Apr. 2018
Sign: Sagittarius Reign, metaphorically benched in every conversation surrounding the Kardashian/Jenner offspring but far and away the family’s most valuable player, is my favorite child in Calabasas.

— mariah smith, The Cut, "Introducing the Kardashian Cousin Compatibility Chart," 28 Mar. 2018
In some cases the breeder goat is ideal for cross-breeding with other goats so that their offspring can have a mix of qualities.

— kristin hugo, Newsweek, "Viral Damascus 'Goat Monster' Is a Real Goat — You Should See Him in Baby Form," 21 Mar. 2018

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.