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# offspring

noun (offspring — same form for one and many)

«offspring» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Offspring are the young of an animal or plant: its babies or seeds. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/offspring/#m1)
2. (formal or jokey) A person's offspring are their children. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/offspring/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science lessons it is used about life cycles, reproduction and inheritance: parents pass features to their offspring. In everyday speech parents sometimes say «my offspring» as a joke for «my kids». Phrases: «produce offspring», «parents and offspring».

### Examples

- A cat may have four offspring in one litter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/offspring/#x1)
- Frogs lay many eggs, and only some offspring survive. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/offspring/#x2)
- Offspring often look like their parents. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/offspring/#x3)
- Plants make seeds that grow into offspring. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/offspring/#x4)
- The lion protects her offspring. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/offspring/#x5)
- (jokey) Dad said, «Feed your offspring, they're hungry!» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/offspring/#x6)
- Rabbits produce a lot of offspring each year. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/offspring/#x7)
- How many offspring did the pair of birds raise? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/offspring/#x8)
- We frequently find mention of Tritons who are either the offspring or kindred of Triton. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/offspring/#x9)

### Note

Plural is the same: one offspring, five offspring (not «offsprings»). Takes a singular or plural verb depending on meaning. In maths problems «each pair has 6 offspring» means 6 young per pair: multiply by the number of pairs.

## In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: In Sefer Yetzirah, the offspring are the many things that come from the first few letters, as children come from parents. In the primary lessons: In science lessons it is used about life cycles, reproduction and inheritance: parents pass features to their offspring. In everyday speech parents sometimes say «my offspring» as a joke for «my kids». Phrases: «produce offspring», «parents and offspring».

### Examples

- Many offspring or derivations came from the latter three, as their progenitors, as it is explained afterwards in the chapter. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/offspring/#x1)
- The Covenant of Circumcision was to be an outward and visible sign of the Divine promise made to Abraham and his offspring. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/offspring/#x2)
- Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. (Writings JOB.21.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/offspring/#x3)
- If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword; and his offspring shall not have bread enough. (Writings JOB.27.14, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/offspring/#x4)
- Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth. (Writings JOB.5.25, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/offspring/#x5)

### Note

Plural is the same: one offspring, five offspring (not «offsprings»). Takes a singular or plural verb depending on meaning. In maths problems «each pair has 6 offspring» means 6 young per pair: multiply by the number of pairs.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «offspring» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/offspring/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«offspring» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/offspring.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «offspring» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/offspring/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«offspring» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/offspring.html) on Mova free.