Definition of "spawn"

spawn¹

/spɔːn/

verb
third-person singular simple present spawns, present participle spawning, simple past and past participle spawned
1. (transitive) To produce or deposit (eggs) in water.
2. (transitive) To generate, bring into being, especially non-mammalian beings in very large numbers.
3. (transitive) To bring forth in general.
4. (transitive) To induce (aquatic organisms) to spawn.
5. (transitive) To plant with fungal spawn.
6. (intransitive) To deposit (numerous) eggs in water.
  Quotations
  Alewives are anadromous fish: Born in freshwater, they spend their lives in the ocean, returning annually to their birthplaces to spawn.
  2014 April 20, Richard Conniff, “An evolutionary family drama”, in The New York Times‎
7. (intransitive) To reproduce, especially in large numbers.
8. (ergative, video games, of a character or object) (To cause) to appear spontaneously in a game at a certain point and time.

spawn²

/spɔːn/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural spawn or spawns
1. The numerous eggs of an aquatic organism.
2. Mushroom mycelium prepared for (aided) propagation.
3. Any germ or seed, even a figurative source.
  1. (often derogatory) children; offspring.
4. (horticulture) The buds or branches produced from underground stems.
5. (video games) Synonym of spawn point.