sperm
sperm — noun
1. a microscopic male sex cell that carries genetic information and can unite with
a microscopic male sex cell that carries genetic information and can unite with an ovum to begin the development of a new organism.
Under a microscope, Tara watched sperm cells swim toward the egg during biology lab.
collocation: sperm cells
During health class, Kevin learned that a male body makes about 1,500 new sperm a second.
countable plural: 1,500 sperm
Ari showed that one sperm holds half the DNA for a new life at school.
In mammals, only one sperm can successfully fertilise a single egg cell.
- male gamete
the strictly biological term used in academic and medical writing
- sex cell
a more general term that can refer to either sperm or egg; less specific
- egg (ovum)
the female reproductive cell that a sperm joins with during fertilisation
文法句型
sperm cell
countable: a / one sperm
用法筆記
Countable when referring to individual cells: 'a sperm', 'one sperm', 'millions of sperm'. Less commonly pluralised as 'sperms' in non-technical contexts.
常見錯誤
2. the white liquid containing sperm cells that is released from the male body duri
the white liquid containing sperm cells that is released from the male body during sex — used informally instead of the medical term 'semen'.
The fertility clinic asked Luca to provide a sperm sample for analysis.
uncountable: a sperm sample
Caio's doctor said healthy sperm can survive in the body for five days.
uncountable mass noun; informal register
After the exam, the nurse said the sperm sample appeared healthy under a microscope.
Dewi's nurse said a man's diet and exercise during fertility care affect sperm quality.
文法句型
used as a mass noun: some sperm
no plural form for this sense
用法筆記
In medical or formal contexts, use 'semen' instead. This informal sense treats 'sperm' as an uncountable mass noun referring to the liquid, not the individual cells.
sperm — combining form
1. a front part added to scientific words, coming from a Greek word for 'seed', use
a front part added to scientific words, coming from a Greek word for 'seed', used to talk about the male reproductive system or the production of sperm cells.
In biology class, Tomás learned that spermatogenesis creates mature sperm in the testicles.
example compound: spermatogenesis
The nurse said spermicide is a gel that kills sperm inside the vagina after sex.
example compound: spermicide
Indra learned that a spermatozoon has a DNA-packed head and a swimming tail.
Cyrus's professor said on a field trip that spermatophytes include trees, flowers, and grass.
文法句型
sperm- + [noun suffix]
used in scientific compound words
用法筆記
As a combining form, 'sperm-' cannot stand alone as an independent word in this sense. It attaches to Greek or Latin suffixes to form technical biological terms.