sprout
/spraʊt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
to begin to grow new leaves, shoots, or small plants. It can also mean to start growing or developing quickly.
- Seeds sprout after a few days.
- New ideas sprouted in the meeting.
- Grass is sprouting after the rain.
noun
a small shoot or new growth from a plant. It can also mean a young new plant eaten as food.
- Tiny sprouts appeared on the stem.
- Add bean sprouts to the salad.
- The plant made fresh sprouts.
Adinary Nuance
Sprout is more specific than grow. Use it when something starts as a small shoot, or when growth begins suddenly and visibly. It is softer and more natural than formal words like develop or emerge in plant and idea contexts.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- mầm
- Spanish
- brote
- Chinese
- 发芽
- Japanese
- 芽が出る
- Korean
- 싹
Etymology
Sprout comes from Middle English, from Old English and related Germanic forms meaning 'to shoot out' or 'grow'. Its basic sense has stayed close to plants, growth, and new beginnings.
Common phrases
bean sproutssprout new leavessprout from the groundsprout ideas
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is sprout a verb or a noun?
- It is both. As a verb, it means to start growing. As a noun, it means a small new shoot.
- What is the difference between sprout and grow?
- Grow is general. Sprout is used for the first small stage of growth, especially in plants.
- Can I use sprout for ideas?
- Yes, in a figurative way. It suggests an idea starting to appear and develop quickly.
- Is sprout common in everyday English?
- Yes, it is common. People use it for plants, food, and some figurative uses.