sperm

(spʉrm)

noun

  1. the male generative fluid; semen
  2. pl. sperm or sperms a male gamete, esp. a spermatozoon rather than a spermatozoid

Origin: ME sperme < MFr esperme < LL sperma < Gr, seed, germ < speirein, to sow, scatter: for IE base see spark

noun

  1. spermaceti
  2. sperm oil
  3. sperm whale

seed: gymnosperm

Origin: see sperm

See sperm in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. sperm sperm or sperms
  1. A male gamete or reproductive cell; a spermatozoon.
  2. Semen.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English sperme, semen

Origin: , from Old French esperme

Origin: , from Late Latin sperma

Origin: , from Greek; see sper- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • spermˈous adjective

noun
A substance, such as spermaceti, associated with the sperm whale.

Origin:

Origin: Short for spermaceti

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prefix
Variant of spermi-.

suffix
Seed: endosperm.

Origin:

Origin: Greek -spermos

Origin: , from sperma, seed; see sperm 1

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