spawns; spawned; spawning
1
: to produce or lay eggs in water
—used of animals such as fish or frogs
Salmon spawn in late summer or fall.
2
: to cause (something) to develop or begin : to produce or create (something)
The health-food craze spawned a multimillion-dollar industry.
the incident that spawned a generation of student protests
a TV show that spawned a host of imitations
: the eggs of a fish or frog
Pacific salmon return to Alaskan streams to deposit their spawn.
Cite this Entry
“Spawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/spawn. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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