sperm
pronunciation
How to pronounce sperm in British English:
UK [spɜ:m]
How to pronounce sperm in American English:
US [spɜrm]
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- Noun:
- the male reproductive cell; the male gamete
Word Origin
- sperm
- sperm: [14] Sperm is etymologically something that is ‘sown’, like ‘seed’. The word comes, via late Latin sperma, from Greek spérma ‘seed’. This was a derivative of the same base as produced English diaspora, sporadic, and spore, and it may ultimately be related to English spray.=> diaspora, sporadic, spore
- sperm (n.)
- "male seminal fluid," late 14c., probably from Old French esperme "seed, sperm" (13c.) and directly from Late Latin sperma "seed, semen," from Greek sperma "the seed of plants, also of animals," literally "that which is sown," from speirein "to sow, scatter," from PIE *sper-mn-, from root *sper- (4) "to strew" (see sprout (v.)). Sperm bank is attested from 1963. For sperm whale see spermaceti.
Example
- 1. Chewing tobacco also may cause low sperm counts .
- 2. Just need some sperm sample .
- 3. The irony is that sperm whales can thank oil for their species 's survival .
- 4. Once boys hit puberty , their sperm cells divide every 16 days .
- 5. A microscope image of ivd sperm .