testis

noun

tes·​tis ˈte-stəs How to pronounce testis (audio)
plural testes ˈte-ˌstēz How to pronounce testis (audio)
: a typically paired male reproductive gland that produces sperm and secretes testosterone and that in most mammals is contained within the scrotum at sexual maturity

Examples of testis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That's because both eggs and testes may be damaged following chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2024 Studies have connected phthalates to childhood obesity, asthma, cardiovascular issues, cancer and reproductive problems such as genital malformations and undescended testes in baby boys and low sperm counts and testosterone levels in adult males. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 6 Feb. 2024 Those fluctuating hormones can affect testis function and sperm quality and production. Karen Pallarito, Health, 12 May 2023 When the primordia start maturing into oocytes or testes, head-formation genes (different from the Hox genes), which are also responsible for forming a head in other creatures, become active in the middle of the stock body. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 8 Dec. 2023 Combatting the Effect of Mobile Phones on Sperm Quality To reduce potential risks associated with cell phone use, Parekh provides these general recommendations: Keep your phone at a safe distance: When not in use, keep your phone in a bag or on a desk rather than in a pocket close to your testes. Kaitlin Vogel, Health, 17 Nov. 2023 But, whereas Martínez-Patiño’s body was completely unable to use the testosterone produced by her testes, Semenya’s body is able to use some. S. C. Cornell, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2023 The disorder: Trans men, being trans, are born without testes. Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 15 Sep. 2023 In males, estrogen is produced in the testes and, similar to women, in fat cells and adrenal glands. Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 4 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'testis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, witness, testis

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of testis was in 1650

Dictionary Entries Near testis

Cite this Entry

“Testis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/testis. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

testis

noun
tes·​tis ˈtes-təs How to pronounce testis (audio)
plural testes ˈtes-ˌtēz How to pronounce testis (audio)
: an oval-shaped male reproductive gland that produces sperm and secretes testosterone and that in most mammals is contained within the scrotum

Medical Definition

testis

noun
tes·​tis ˈtes-təs How to pronounce testis (audio)
plural testes ˈtes-ˌtēz How to pronounce testis (audio)
: a typically paired male reproductive gland that usually consists largely of seminiferous tubules from the epithelium of which spermatozoa develop, that contains androgen-secreting Leydig cells in the interstitial tissue, that corresponds to the ovary of the female and in craniate vertebrates develops from the genital ridges of the embryo, and that in most mammals descends into the scrotum before the attainment of sexual maturity and in many cases before birth

More from Merriam-Webster on testis

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