semen

noun

se·​men ˈsē-mən How to pronounce semen (audio)
: a viscid whitish fluid of the male reproductive tract consisting of spermatozoa suspended in secretions of accessory glands (as of the prostate and Cowper's glands)

Examples of semen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Season 1 arguably reached its stylistic apogee in the sixth episode, when, during Pierpoint’s in-office holiday party, Yasmin led Robert into a bathroom and put her hand down his pants, then commanded him to masturbate in front of the mirror and lick his semen from his fingers. Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025 It is transmitted when blood, semen or another body fluid from a person infected with the virus enters the body of someone who’s not infected. Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 4 Dec. 2025 One study suggests that taking maca root could improve sperm concentration, the number of sperm in each milliliter of semen. Ashley Abramson, Health, 4 Nov. 2025 Survivors who got the drug cleared the virus from their semen more quickly than survivors who got the placebo. NPR, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for semen

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin, seed, semen; akin to Old High German sāmo seed, Latin serere to sow — more at sow

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of semen was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Semen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semen. Accessed 11 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

semen

noun
se·​men ˈsē-mən How to pronounce semen (audio)
: a sticky whitish fluid of the male reproductive tract that contains the sperm

Medical Definition

semen

noun
se·​men ˈsē-mən How to pronounce semen (audio)
: a viscid whitish fluid of the male reproductive tract consisting of spermatozoa suspended in secretions of accessory glands (as of the prostate and Cowper's glands)

More from Merriam-Webster on semen

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