sperm
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the tiny cell from a male that joins with a female egg to start a baby.
the male reproductive cell or spermatozoon. Countable in biological contexts.
Simple“The doctor explained how the sperm fertilizes the egg during conception.”
In context“Microscopic analysis revealed that the sperm count was within the normal range for a healthy adult male.”
UsageOften used as an uncountable noun when referring to the substance generally.
SynonymsspermatozoongameteAntonymseggovum - 02 C2 Proficiency
a type of oil or wax found in the head of a sperm whale.
sperm oil or spermaceti obtained from the head of the sperm whale.
Simple“In the past, people used sperm oil to fuel their lamps.”
In context“The historical importance of sperm whales was largely due to the high quality of the sperm oil harvested for industrial lubricants.”
Synonymsspermacetiwhale oil
Usage sperm cells
“New technology may make it easier for men with extremely low sperm counts to have biological children.”
“Millions of sperm do not always compete alone—some species send them into action as coordinated teams.”
From Middle English sperme, from Latin sperma, from Ancient Greek σπέρμα (spérma, “seed, semen”). Compare also Old French esperme, sparme.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.