WordGarden.iospermatozoon
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˌspɜːmətə(ʊ)ˈzəʊɒn/
US
Meanings
Noun
a mature male reproductive cell; a sperm cell
Beyond the definition
Imagine a tiny swimmer, so small you need a microscope to see it. That is a spermatozoon, the male reproductive cell that can fertilize an egg. In everyday speech, people usually just say "sperm," while spermatozoon is the scientific singular form. You will mostly see this word in biology books, medical writing, or discussions about reproduction and fertility.
The word spermatozoon (plural: spermatozoa) refers to the male reproductive cell, more commonly called sperm. It is a single cell whose main role is to carry genetic material to an egg and make fertilization possible.
The term comes from Greek roots related to "seed" and "living being." The name reflects how early scientists tried to describe what they saw under the microscope. Today, the word remains mainly a technical term used in science and medicine.
You will not usually hear spermatozoon in everyday conversation. It appears mostly in biology classes, fertility care, lab reports, and research papers about male reproductive health. For example, a doctor might write about the number of healthy spermatozoa in a sample, or a researcher might study how well spermatozoa move.
These cells are important not only for reproduction but also for the study of genetics, evolution, and factors that affect male fertility. Though microscopic, they play a central role in the beginning of human and animal life.
Examples
- 1
Microscopy
Under the microscope, the student watched a spermatozoon swim toward the egg.
- Grammarspermatozoon
the scientific singular form; the plural is spermatozoa
- 2
Lab report
The lab report noted that one spermatozoon had an abnormal shape.
- 3
Biology papers
In biology papers, researchers often describe how a spermatozoon attaches to the outer layer of the egg.
See also
Similar
- sperm cell
- male gamete
- sperm
Shades of meaning
- spermatozoid
Contrast
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- mature spermatozoon
- human spermatozoon
- spermatozoon motility
- spermatozoon morphology
Word family
- spermatozoa
- spermatozoal
Explore
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- spermatozoonnoun
Forms
- spermatozoapluralnoun