Sperm
/spɜːrm/noun
Male reproductive cells that fertilize an egg.
Did you know?In Ancient Greek, *sperma* meant “seed” in the broad sense, and the same root also gave English words like *spore* and *disperse*, all carrying the old image of scattering life.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sper-
“to scatter, strew, sow”
Ancient Greek
Greek
σπέρμα (sperma)
“seed; that which is sown”
Late Latin
Latin
sperma
“seed; semen”
Old French
Old French
esperme
“semen”
Middle English
English
sperme
“semen”
Modern English
English
sperm
“male reproductive cells”