spore

noun

1. A reproductive particle, usually a single cell, released by a fungus, alga, or plant that may germinate into another.

   “Thresher maws are subterranean carnivores that spend their entire lives eating or searching for something to eat. Threshers reproduce via spores that lie dormant for millennia, yet are robust enough to survive prolonged periods in deep space and atmospheric re-entry. As a result, thresher spores appear on many worlds, spread by previous generations of space travelers.”

   “After anthrax spores were found in letters sent to Sens. Patrick Leahy and Thomas Daschle in 2001, Congress began screening all the mail that came into the building.”

2. A thick resistant particle produced by a bacterium or protist to survive in harsh or unfavorable conditions.

verb

1. To produce spores.

name

1. A surname.