English
sprout
see also: Sprout
Pronunciation
  • (America) IPA: /spɹaʊt/
  • (Canada) IPA: /spɹʌʊt/
Etymology 1

From Middle English sproute, either from Middle English sprouten (see below); or from Middle Dutch sprute or Middle Low German sprûte, all related to Proto-West Germanic *spreutan.

Noun

sprout (plural sprouts)

  1. A new growth on a plant, whether from seed or other parts.
  2. A child.
    Oh my, how your sprouts have grown!
  3. A Brussels sprout.
    In our family we eat sprouts but once a year, on Christmas.
  4. A bean sprout.
  5. An edible germinated seed.
Translations Translations Translations Etymology 2

From Middle English sprouten, spruten, from Old English sprūtan, from Proto-West Germanic *spreutan, from Proto-Germanic *spreutaną.

Verb

sprout (sprouts, present participle sprouting; simple past and past participle sprouted)

  1. (gardening, intransitive) To grow from seed; to germinate.
    The crocuses should be sprouting after 2 months, provided they're well tended.
  2. (transitive) To cause to grow from a seed.
    I sprouted beans and radishes and put them in my salad.
  3. (transitive) To deprive of sprouts.
    to sprout potatoes
  4. (intransitive) To emerge from the ground as sprouts.
  5. (figurative, intransitive) To emerge haphazardly from a surface.
    Whiskers sprouted from the old man's chin.
  6. (figurative, intransitive) To emerge or appear haphazardly.
    A lot of coffee shops have sprouted up in this neighbourhood since the block of flats was put up.
Synonyms
  • ackerspyre (Chester)
Related terms Translations Translations
Sprout
Etymology
  • As a Dutch - surname, from spruit
  • As an English and Scottish surname, spelling variant of Sprott
Proper noun
  1. Surname.


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