Spermaceti
/ˌspɜːrməˈsiːti/noun
A white waxy substance found in the head cavities of sperm whales, once widely used in candles, ointments, and cosmetics.
Did you know?The name comes from the old belief that the waxy material was whale semen, a myth that stuck in science and trade for centuries before anatomy proved otherwise.
Etymological Timeline
Late Latin
Latin
sperma
“seed, semen”
Late Latin
Latin
ceti
“of the whale”
16th Century
English
sperma ceti
“a waxy substance from the head of the sperm whale, believed to be whale seed”
17th Century
English
spermaceti
“fixed spelling for the same whale-derived wax used in candles and ointments”
Modern English
English
spermaceti
“the white waxy substance from sperm whales' head cavities”