Gonad
/ˈɡoʊ.næd/noun
Either of the primary reproductive glands, the testes or ovaries, which produce sex cells and hormones.
Did you know?The word was coined in the 19th century by scientists from Greek gonē meaning “seed” or “offspring,” so it’s a deliberately technical term built from the language of generation.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
gonē
“seed, offspring, generation”
19th Century
English
gonad
“a coined scientific term for a reproductive gland”
19th Century
French
gonade
“scientific anatomical term”
Modern English
English
gonad
“the reproductive gland of an animal”