sperm
sperm Lexical Profile
sperm Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A male reproductive cell (gamete) produced by most animals, typically consisting of a head containing genetic material and a long flagellum for motility to fertilize a female egg.
"During fertilization, a single sperm fuses with an ovum to form a zygote."
The male reproductive fluid containing spermatozoa; semen.
"The fertility clinic preserves donated sperm in liquid nitrogen for future medical procedures."
A sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), a large toothed whale inhabiting deep oceans worldwide, characterized by its massive block-shaped head that contains a waxy substance called spermaceti.
"Historical whaling logs frequently referred to the giant marine mammal simply as the sperm."
Word Nuance & Usage
In scientific and clinical contexts, "sperm" specifically refers to the individual male reproductive cells (spermatozoa), whereas "semen" refers to the complete bodily fluid that carries them, though the two terms are often used interchangeably in everyday speech.
• Rhymes for sperm
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Entered Middle English via Old French esperme and Late Latin sperma, ultimately from the Ancient Greek spérma (meaning "seed" or "semen"), derived from the verb speírein ("to sow" or "to scatter").