资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Sprout \Sprout\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Sprouted}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Sprouting}.] [OE. sprouten, spruten; akin to OFries. spr?ta,
   AS. spre['o]tan, D. spruiten, G. spriessen, Sw. spruta to
   squirt, to spout. Cf. {Sprit}, v. t. & i., {Sprit} a spar,
   {Spout}, v. t., {Spurt}.]
   1. To shoot, as the seed of a plant; to germinate; to push
      out new shoots; hence, to grow like shoots of plants.

   2. To shoot into ramifications. [Obs.] --Bacon.

资料来源 : WordNet®

sprouting
     n : the process whereby seeds or spores sprout and begin to grow
         [syn: {germination}]