offspring
gb/ˈɔfspɹˌɪŋ/ us/ˈɔfspɹˌɪŋ/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
B2
entity
1
a person’s child or children
Someone’s son or daughter (or all their children).
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s offspring
Common mistake:
Offspring is usually treated as a collective noun and is most often unchanged in the plural (not *offsprings* in normal use).
Synonyms
children (More common and informal than offspring.)
|
child (Singular; offspring can refer to one or more.)
|
descendant (Broader; can include later generations.)
Antonyms
parent (A parent is the one who has offspring.)
Collocations
have offspring
|produce offspring
|raise offspring
|care for offspring
|their offspring
|human offspring
|young offspring
|adult offspring
|biological offspring
|legitimate offspring
Themes
family
|relationships
Examples
- They have three offspring, all in their twenties now.
- The royal couple’s offspring were kept out of the spotlight.
- He left most of his estate to his offspring.
Learner examples
- They have two offspring.
- Her offspring lives abroad.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
2
young of an animal or plant
Baby animals or new plants produced by a parent.
Usage pattern:
[animal/plant]'s offspring
Common mistake:
In biology, offspring can be singular or plural depending on context; avoid adding -s unless a style guide specifically uses it.
Synonyms
young (More general; not as scientific.)
|
progeny (Formal/technical, similar meaning.)
Antonyms
parent (A parent organism produces offspring.)
Collocations
healthy offspring
|viable offspring
|offspring survive
|produce offspring
|offspring number
|offspring population
|offspring traits
|genetic offspring
|male offspring
|female offspring
Themes
nature
|biology
|animals
|plants
Examples
- The birds feed their offspring for several weeks after they hatch.
- The study tracked how many offspring each pair produced.
- Some plants spread by producing offspring through runners.
Learner examples
- The cat protected its offspring.
- The fish laid eggs, and the offspring grew quickly.
Noun
formal
C1
abstract
3
a result of something earlier
A thing that comes from something else (an indirect result).
Usage pattern:
the offspring of [something]
Common mistake:
This figurative use is usually formal; in everyday speech, people often say product, result, or spin-off instead.
Synonyms
product (More common and less metaphorical.)
|
result (Focuses on outcome rather than creation.)
|
outgrowth (Emphasizes gradual development; more literary.)
Antonyms
cause (A cause produces an effect; offspring is the produced thing.)
|
origin (Origin is the source; offspring is what comes from it.)
Collocations
the offspring of
|direct offspring
|unlikely offspring
|cultural offspring
|intellectual offspring
|artistic offspring
|offspring of collaboration
|offspring of necessity
Themes
ideas
|writing
|business
|technology
Examples
- The new app is the offspring of a small student project.
- Her latest novel is the offspring of years of research and travel.
- The policy was an offspring of public pressure and political compromise.
Learner examples
- This idea is an offspring of earlier research.
Grammar
Dictionary form
offspring
IPA
GB/ˈɔfspɹˌɪŋ/
US/ˈɔfspɹˌɪŋ/
Syllables & stress
off - spring (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (off)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: offspring
- Plural: offspring, offsprings
Word family
Forms
offsprings
noun
Core family
child
noun A1
Related words
descendant
noun B2
parent
noun A1
Advanced or less common
progeny
noun
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.