# spawn

> English word · Verb · IPA /spɔːn/ · frequency rank #17,724

## Definitions
1. To produce or deposit (eggs) in water.
2. To generate, bring into being, especially non-mammalian beings in very large numbers.
3. To bring forth in general.
4. To induce (aquatic organisms) to spawn.
5. To plant with fungal spawn.
6. To deposit (numerous) eggs in water.
7. To reproduce, especially in large numbers.
8. To appear, or cause (something or someone) to appear, spontaneously in a game world at a particular place and time.
9. To appear, or cause (something or someone) to appear, unexpectedly and seemingly out of nowhere.
10. Of a person or non-egg-laying animal: to be born.

## Etymology
Recorded since 1413; from Middle English spawnen, from Anglo-Norman espaundre, from Old French espandre, from Latin expandere (“stretch out; spread out”, verb). Doublet of expand. Compare also Middle English spalden, spolden, spawden (“to cut open (a fish)”).

## Easily confused with
- **spin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spawn-vs-spin)
- **stan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spawn-vs-stan)
- **swan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spawn-vs-swan)
- **spun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spawn-vs-spun)
- **spew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spawn-vs-spew)
- **spoon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spawn-vs-spoon)
- **stain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spawn-vs-stain)
- **Swann** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spawn-vs-swann)
- **swain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spawn-vs-swain)
- **sprawl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spawn-vs-sprawl)
- **sprain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spawn-vs-sprain)
- **saw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/saw-vs-spawn)
- **san** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/san-vs-spawn)
- **spa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spa-vs-spawn)
- **sean** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sean-vs-spawn)
- **shaw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shaw-vs-spawn)
- **scan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scan-vs-spawn)
- **span** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/span-vs-spawn)
- **spam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spam-vs-spawn)
- **spat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spat-vs-spawn)

## Common misspellings (8)
`psawn`, `sapwn`, `spanw`, `spawnn`, `spawwn`, `sppawn`, `spwan`, `sspawn`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/spawn