offspring

noun

off·​spring ˈȯf-ˌspriŋ 

plural offspring also offsprings

1

a

: 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

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 sense 1a

… you can hear this Caribbean club music, a hard-edged and party-heavy offspring of reggae …

—Lorraine Ali

Synonyms

• fruit
• get
• issue
• posterity
• progeny
• seed
• spawn

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

As a result, half the offspring of each breeding pair will inherit the supergene, and half will not. —Donna L. Maney, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2025

At the time, Congress did not debate whether offspring of people in the country illegally were guaranteed citizenship. —Betsy McCaughey, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2025

The offspring of various Vogue staffers were called to duty. —Chloe Malle, Vogue, 7 Feb. 2025

The offspring are an exact genetic copy of their mother. —Alissa Widman Neese, Axios, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ofspring, from Old English, from of off + springan to spring

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for offspring

• bowstring
• coiling
• downswing
• drawstring
• forewing
• hamstring
• lapwing
• mainspring
• plaything
• shoestring
• texting
• upswing

Kids Definition

offspring

noun

off·​spring ˈȯf-ˌspriŋ 

plural offspring also offsprings

: the young of a person, animal, or plant

Medical Definition

offspring

noun

off·​spring ˈȯf-ˌspriŋ 

plural offspring also offsprings

: the progeny of an animal or plant : young