offspring
noun
off·spring
ˈȯf-ˌspriŋ 
plural offspring also offsprings
1
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
Anthony Hopkins2
b
: offshoot sense 1a
… you can hear this Caribbean club music, a hard-edged and party-heavy offspring of reggae …—Lorraine Ali
Lorraine AliExamples 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
The pod includes an adult female and what are believed to be her two offspring, including a large young adult male.
—CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
These offspring can be snipped off and planted to create new plants.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026
This is because using the same pesticide repeatedly allows some pests to survive and pass on their resistance to their offspring.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
The Bradford pear is an offspring of the Callery pear, which is native to Asia.
—Campbell Vaughn, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for offspring
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CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
These offspring can be snipped off and planted to create new plants.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026
This is because using the same pesticide repeatedly allows some pests to survive and pass on their resistance to their offspring.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
The Bradford pear is an offspring of the Callery pear, which is native to Asia.
—Campbell Vaughn, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for offspring
Cite this Entry
“Offspring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offspring. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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