Meanings
nounoffspring (plural offspring or (computing, otherwise nonstandard) offsprings)
nonstandard plural offsprings
- Any of a person's descendants, including of further generations.
Synonyms: binary clone, descendants, fruit of one's loins, get, lineage, progeny, seed
- An animal or plant's progeny or young.
In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual.
2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3 - figurativelyAnything produced; the result of an entity's efforts.
Artists often treasure their works as their immortal offspring.
- computingA process launched by another process.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA person's daughter or son; a person's child.
nounAny of a person's descendants, including of further generations.
antonym(s) of “daughter(s) and/or son(s)”
antonym(s) of “descendants”
More synonyms by meaning
nounsomething that comes into existence as a result
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Old Englishofspring“offspring, descendants, posterity”
- Middle Englishofspring
- Englishoffspring
From Middle English ofspring, from Old English ofspring (“offspring, descendants, posterity”), equivalent to off- + spring. Compare Icelandic afspringur (“offspring”). More at off, spring.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἔρνος, γονή
- ἔρνος (érnos)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- γονή (gonḗ)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Arabic ذُرِّيَّة, وَلَد
- ذُرِّيَّة (ḏurriyya)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- وَلَد (walad)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- سُلَالَة (sulāla)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- نَسْل (nasl)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- نِتاج (nitāj)singular offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- نِتاج (nitāj)plural or collective offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- وَلَد (walad)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Bengali সন্তানসমূহ, আওলাদ
- সন্তানসমূহ (sontansomuho)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- আওলাদ (aōlad)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- ফরজন্দ (forjond)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- সন্তান (śontan)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Bulgarian пото́мство, пото́мък
- пото́мство (potómstvo)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- пото́мък (potómăk)singular offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- проду́кт (prodúkt)something produced
- пото́мък (potómăk)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Chinese Cantonese 子孫 /子孙, 兒孫 /儿孙
- 子孫 /子孙 (zi² syun¹)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- 兒孫 /儿孙 (ji⁴ syun¹)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
Chinese Mandarin 子孫 /子孙, 兒孫 /儿孙
- 子孫 /子孙 (zǐsūn)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- 兒孫 /儿孙 (érsūn)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- 子孫 /子孙 (zǐsūn)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Czech potomstvo, potomek
- potomstvoplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- potomeksingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- potomkyněsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Danish afkom
- afkomsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Dutch afstammelingen, kinderen
- afstammelingenplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- kinderenplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- kindersplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- nageslachtenplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- nakomelingschapplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- nakomelingenplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- voortbrengstsomething produced
- productiesomething produced
- afstammelingsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- nageslachtsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- nakomelingsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- nazaatsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Esperanto idaro, ido
- idaroplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- idosingular offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- idaroplural or collective offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- idosingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- filosingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- filinosingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Finnish lapset, jälkeläiset
- lapsetplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- jälkeläisetplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- jälkikasvuplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- jälkeläisetplural or collective offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- aikaansaannossomething produced
- lapsisomething produced
- lapsisingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- jälkeläinensingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
French enfance, enfants
- enfanceplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- enfantsplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- descendanceplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- progénitureplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- progénitureplural or collective offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- enfantsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
German Abkömmlinge, Nachfahren
- Abkömmlingeplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- Nachfahrenplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- Nachfahrinnenplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- Nachwuchsplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- Sprösslingeplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- Nachkommenplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- Nachkomminnenplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- Nachkommenschaftplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- Kinderplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- Nachwuchsplural or collective offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- Hinterlassenschaftsomething produced
- Nachkommesingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Greek τέκνο, παιδί
- τέκνο (tékno)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- παιδί (paidí)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- απόγονος (apógonos)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Hindi वंशज, संतान
- वंशज (vañśaj)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- संतान (santān)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- वंशज (vañśaj)singular offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- वंशज (vañśaj)plural or collective offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- संतान (santān)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Hungarian leszármazott, ivadék
- leszármazottplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- ivadékplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- sarjplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- utódsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Irish clann, síolradh
- clannplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- síolradhplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
Italian discendenti, prole
- discendentiplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- proleplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- discendentesingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- figliosingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- figliasingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Japanese 胤, 子孫
- 胤 (tane)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- 子孫 (shison)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- 子種 (kodane)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Korean 자녀, 자식
- 자녀 (janyeo)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- 자식 (jasik)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Latin prōlēs, prōgeniēs
- prōlēsplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- prōgeniēsplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- subolēsplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- subolēssingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Lithuanian vaikas
- vaikassingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Norwegian Bokmål etterkommere, ætlinger
- etterkommereplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- ætlingerplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- ættingerplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- avkomplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- etterkommersingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- avkomsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- ætlingsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- ættingsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- barnsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Persian سلاله, اولاد
- سلاله (solâle)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- اولاد (avlâd)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- نسل (nasl)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- فرزند (farzand)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Polish potomstwo, progenitura
- potomstwoplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- progenituraplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- potomeksingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- potomkinisingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Portuguese descendência, descendente
- descendênciaplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- descendenteplural or collective offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- filhosingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- filhasingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- rebentosingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- vergônteasingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Russian пото́мство, пото́мок
- пото́мство (potómstvo)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- пото́мок (potómok)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- о́тпрыск (ótprysk)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Scottish Gaelic clann, sliochd
- clannplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- sliochdplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- àlsingular offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- àilplural or collective offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- sliochdsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Slovak potomstvo, potomok
- potomstvoplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- potomoksingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- potomkyňasingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Spanish descendencia, linaje
- descendenciaplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- linajeplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- proleplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- progenieplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- progenituraplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- críasingular offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- guácharosingular offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- progenieplural or collective offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- vástagosingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- descendientesingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- sucesorsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- sucesorasingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Swahili watoto
- watotoplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
Swedish avkomlingar, avkommor
- avkomlingarplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- avkommorplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- ättlingarplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- avkomlingsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- avkommasingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- ättlingsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Tagalog kawil
- kawilsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Thai ลูกหลาน
- ลูกหลาน (lûuk-lǎan)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
Turkish yavru, döl
- yavruplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- dölsingular offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- evlatsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- çocuksingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Ukrainian пото́мство, наща́дки
- пото́мство (potómstvo)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- наща́дки (naščádky)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- пото́мство (potómstvo)plural or collective offspring, animal's or plant's progeny
- плід (plid)something produced
- ді́тище (dítyšče)something produced
- наща́док (naščádok)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
- пото́мок (potómok)singular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Urdu اَوْلاد, نَسل
- اَوْلاد (aulād)plural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- نَسلplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
Welsh hiliogaeth, epil
- hiliogaethplural or collective offspring (only males, only females, both sexes or sex unspecified)
- epilsingular offspring (male, female or sex unspecified)
Cite this entry
APA
offspring. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/offspring
MLA
“offspring.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/offspring. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “offspring,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/offspring.
Source: offspring on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.