nobleman's illegitimate child
Historical term for a child born out of wedlock to a nobleman. Not used in modern everyday contexts.
He was born as the illegitimate child of a nobleman.
Figurative use: something that results from a particular situation, often with a negative or unintended connotation. Commonly seen in phrases like 戦争の落とし子 (product of war).
This system is a product of the war.
That law was born as an aftermath of the chaos.
seahorse
Standard kanji spelling.
Variant spelling with 落し instead of 落とし; less common but acceptable.
Compound of 落とし (otoshi, 'dropping' or 'letting fall') + 子 (ko, 'child'). The literal sense of a child 'dropped' or left behind led to the meaning of an illegitimate child, and later extended figuratively to any unintended result or product.