sperm
Word family
- spermaticadjectiveC1
- spermatozoonnounC1
- spermicidenounC1
- spermatogenesisnounC2
- spermatozoidnounC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Sperm refers specifically to the male reproductive cell itself — the microscopic, single-celled unit that carries genetic material. Semen is the fluid that contains sperm cells along with other secretions; it is the broader substance, not the individual cells. Gamete is a more general scientific term covering both male and female reproductive cells — a sperm is a male gamete, and an egg is a female gamete. Seed is an older, metaphorical word sometimes used in literary or biblical contexts (e.g., 'the seed of Abraham') but rarely in modern biological writing. In everyday English, people often say 'sperm' when they mean 'semen' (e.g., 'a sperm sample'), but in medicine the distinction matters: a doctor tests semen quality, while a biologist studies sperm motility.
Common collocations
Nouns
- sperm count — the number of sperm cells in a sample of semen
- sperm donor — a man who provides sperm for fertility treatment
- sperm bank — a facility that stores frozen sperm for later use
- sperm cell — an individual male reproductive cell
- sperm sample — a specimen of semen provided for testing
- sperm motility — the ability of sperm to swim properly
- sperm whale — a large whale species (unrelated to reproductive meaning; from an older sense of 'sperm' referring to a waxy substance)
Etymology
Sperm comes from the Greek word 'sperma' (σπέρμα), meaning 'seed'. The ancient Greeks saw a parallel between plant seeds that grow into new plants and the male reproductive cell that starts a new life. The word passed into Latin as 'sperma' and then into English in the 14th century via medical Latin texts. The combining form 'spermato-' also comes from the same Greek root, and appears in scientific terms such as 'spermatogenesis' (the creation of sperm cells).