sprout
gb/spɹˈaʊt/ us/spɹˈaʊt/
B1
English
hajtás, csíra, kelbimbó, kicsírázik, kihajt, gomba módra szaporodik, kinő, növeszt, hajt, lurkó, kölyök
NOUN
B1
1
Usage pattern:
a sprout (of [plant]); sprouts on/from [something]
After a week, the first sprouts appeared in the tray.
Egy hét után megjelentek az első hajtások az ültetőtálcában.
We cut off the sprouts on the potatoes before cooking them.
Főzés előtt levágtuk a csírákat a krumpliról.
A single sprout pushed up through the soil.
Learner examples
I can see sprouts in the garden.
Hajtásokat látok a kertben.
The seeds made small sprouts.
A magokból kis hajtások nőttek.
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse plant sprouts (new shoots) with Brussels sprouts (a vegetable).
Meaning
a new plant shoot
Collocations
new sprouts
|tiny sprouts
|green sprouts
|tender sprouts
|seed sprouts
|sprouts in the garden
|sprouts on potatoes
|first sprouts
|pull off sprouts
|sprouts pushing through the soil
Synonyms
shoot (More general; can be any new growth on a plant.)
|
seedling (Usually a slightly more developed young plant.)
|
bud (Earlier stage; often before it opens or elongates.)
Themes
nature
|plants
|gardening
Definition
a very small new plant growing from a seed
A new shoot growing from a seed, root, or plant, especially one that has just begun to emerge.
NOUN
B1
2
csíra
B1
Usage pattern:
sprouts; [type] sprouts
Add the sprouts at the end so they stay crunchy.
A végén add hozzá a csírákat, hogy ropogósak maradjanak.
She ordered a salad with avocado and sprouts.
Salátát rendelt avokádóval és csírákkal.
The sandwich came with a handful of fresh sprouts.
Learner examples
I like sprouts in my salad.
Szeretem a csírákat a salátámban.
Common mistake:
In food contexts, “sprouts” often refers to edible sprouts (like bean sprouts), not Brussels sprouts.
Meaning
sprouts eaten as food
Collocations
bean sprouts
|alfalfa sprouts
|broccoli sprouts
|sprout mix
|fresh sprouts
|crunchy sprouts
|add the sprouts
|sprouts in a salad
|stir-fry with sprouts
|sprouts as a topping
Synonyms
shoots (Common on menus; can also mean other edible young plant stems.)
|
germinated seeds (More descriptive and less common in everyday speech.)
Themes
food
|cooking
|health
Definition
a small young plant that you eat
A germinated seed or very young shoot eaten as a vegetable, often used raw in salads or added briefly to cooked dishes.
NOUN
B1
3
kelbimbó
B1
Usage pattern:
a Brussels sprout; Brussels sprouts
We roasted Brussels sprouts with olive oil and garlic.
Kelbimbót sütöttünk olívaolajjal és fokhagymával.
He never liked Brussels sprouts as a kid, but he does now.
Gyerekkorában sosem szerette a kelbimbót, most viszont igen.
The recipe calls for shredded Brussels sprouts.
Learner examples
We ate Brussels sprouts for dinner.
Vacsorára kelbimbót ettünk.
Common mistake:
Capitalize “Brussels” in writing; in speech it sounds the same either way.
Meaning
the vegetable Brussels sprout
Collocations
roast Brussels sprouts
|steamed Brussels sprouts
|Brussels sprouts with bacon
|shredded Brussels sprouts
|crispy Brussels sprouts
|season Brussels sprouts
|a side of Brussels sprouts
|fresh Brussels sprouts
|frozen Brussels sprouts
|Brussels sprout leaves
Themes
food
|cooking
Definition
a small green vegetable like a tiny cabbage
A small round green vegetable in the cabbage family, typically eaten cooked.
VERB
B1
4
kicsírázik
B2
kihajt
B1
Usage pattern:
[seed/plant] sprouts; [something] sprouts (in [place])
The lentils sprouted in just three days.
A lencse mindössze három nap alatt kicsírázott.
If you leave onions too long, they can sprout.
Ha túl sokáig tárolod a hagymát, kihajthat.
The cuttings sprouted roots in water.
Learner examples
The seeds sprouted in the sun.
A magok kicsíráztak a napfényben.
Common mistake:
“Sprout” is often intransitive (The seeds sprouted), but it can also be used with a thing that grows (The plant sprouted new leaves).
Meaning
begin to grow from a seed
Collocations
seeds sprout
|beans sprout
|bulbs sprout
|sprout quickly
|sprout in warm weather
|sprout in damp soil
|sprout after a few days
|sprout roots
|sprout leaves
|sprout in the dark
Synonyms
germinate (More technical; used especially for seeds.)
|
bud (Focuses on forming buds, not necessarily emerging from a seed.)
|
shoot (Emphasizes new shoots growing upward.)
Antonyms
wither (Means to dry out and lose vitality rather than begin growing.)
|
die (Opposite outcome: the plant stops living instead of growing.)
Themes
nature
|plants
|gardening
Definition
to start to grow
To begin to grow by producing shoots, roots, or leaves, especially from a seed or bulb.
VERB
B2
5
kinő
B1
Usage pattern:
[things] sprout (up) (in/around [place])
New apartment blocks are sprouting all over the neighborhood.
Gomba módra szaporodnak az új társasházak a környék minden részén.
After the announcement, rumors sprouted online within hours.
A bejelentés után néhány órán belül gomba módra kezdtek szaporodni a pletykák az interneten.
Small coffee shops have sprouted up near the station.
Learner examples
New shops sprouted up near my house.
Sorra nyíltak új boltok a házam közelében.
Common mistake:
This sense is usually used for many similar things appearing (shops, buildings, problems), not for a single planned event.
Meaning
appear quickly in many places
Collocations
new buildings sprout up
|cafes sprouting up
|shops sprouting up
|sprout overnight
|sprout everywhere
|sprout along the road
|rumors sprout
|problems sprout
|sprout in the city center
|ideas sprout
Synonyms
spring up (Very close in meaning; common alternative.)
|
pop up (Often suggests something surprising or temporary.)
|
crop up (Often used for problems or questions rather than buildings.)
Antonyms
disappear (Opposite direction: something vanishes instead of appearing.)
|
decline (Opposite trend: the number or presence becomes less.)
Themes
daily_life
|cities
|business
Definition
to appear quickly, often in many places
To appear, develop, or be built quickly, especially in many places at once.
VERB
B2
6
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] sprouts [something]; [something] sprouts (from [place])
He sprouted a beard while he was on vacation.
Szakállt növesztett a nyaralás alatt.
After pruning, the tree sprouted new branches.
Metszés után a fa új ágakat hajtott.
The cactus sprouted spines along the ridges.
Learner examples
He sprouted a beard.
Szakállt növesztett.
Common mistake:
“Sprout” here often sounds slightly informal or vivid (sprout a beard), not purely scientific.
Meaning
grow or produce something suddenly
Collocations
sprout a beard
|sprout whiskers
|sprout new branches
|sprout leaves
|sprout spikes
|sprout horns
|sprout from the sides
|sprout suddenly
|sprout overnight
|sprout new growth
Synonyms
grow (More general and neutral; less vivid.)
|
develop (Often suggests gradual change rather than sudden visible growth.)
|
put out (Common with plants (put out new leaves/branches).)
Antonyms
shed (Opposite process for hair/leaves: losing rather than producing.)
|
lose (General opposite: no longer having what was grown.)
Themes
body
|nature
|appearance
Definition
to grow something, often quickly
To grow or produce something (such as hair, branches, or spikes), often suddenly or noticeably.
NOUN
C1
INFORMAL
7
Usage pattern:
(usually) little sprout; young sprout
Come on, you little sprout—time for bed.
Gyerünk, kis lurkó – ideje lefeküdni.
The sprouts ran around the yard while the adults talked.
A lurkók az udvaron rohangáltak, miközben a felnőttek beszélgettek.
She teaches swimming to a bunch of energetic sprouts.
Common mistake:
This use is playful; it may sound odd in formal writing.
Meaning
a child (affectionate, humorous)
Collocations
little sprout
|young sprout
|tiny sprout
|the little sprouts
|a couple of sprouts
Synonyms
kid (Most common informal word; not as playful.)
|
youngster (Neutral; less affectionate.)
|
tot (Very young child; often affectionate.)
Antonyms
adult (Opposite in age and social role.)
Themes
family
|relationships
Definition
a child (said in a friendly way)
A child, especially a small one, spoken of affectionately or jokingly.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sprout
IPA
GB/spɹˈaʊt/
US/spɹˈaʊt/
Syllables & stress
sprout (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (sprout)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: sprout
- Plural: sprouts
Verb
- Base: sprout
- 3rd Person Singular: sprouts
- Present Participle: sprouting
- Past: sprouted
Expressions
bean sprout
1/bˈin spɹˈaʊt/
fixed phrase
edible mung bean shoot
a crunchy vegetable used in many Asian dishes
Examples
- The pad thai comes with bean sprouts on the side.
- Rinse the bean sprouts and drain them well.
- She added bean sprouts for extra crunch.
Learner examples
- I bought bean sprouts for soup.
sprout a beard
1/spɹˈaʊt ə bˈɪɹd/
fixed phrase
informal
grow a beard
to start having a beard
Examples
- He sprouted a beard during his month off work.
- Every winter she jokes that he’ll sprout a beard again.
- If you stay on that camping trip long enough, you’ll sprout a beard.
Learner examples
- He sprouted a beard.
sprout out
1/spɹˈaʊt ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
grow out from something
to grow out from something
Examples
- Thin roots sprouted out from the base of the cutting.
- A few grey hairs were sprouting out at his temples.
- Little green shoots sprouted out along the stem.
sprout up
1/spɹˈaʊt ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
appear or grow quickly
to appear quickly
Examples
- Food trucks have sprouted up all over town.
- A few weeds sprouted up between the paving stones.
- New slang terms sprout up online every year.
Learner examples
- New shops sprouted up near the station.
sprout wings
1/spɹˈaʊt wˈɪŋz/
idiom
informal
suddenly move very fast
to leave very quickly (joking)
Examples
- If we don’t lock the gate, the dog will sprout wings and disappear.
- The last slice of pizza sprouted wings the moment I left the room.
- My keys sprout wings whenever I’m in a hurry.