spermatozoon

noun

sper·​ma·​to·​zo·​on (ˌ)spər-ˌma-tə-ˈzō-ˌän 

-ˈzō-ən, 

ˌspər-mə-tə-

plural spermatozoa (ˌ)spər-ˌma-tə-ˈzō-ə 

ˌspər-mə-tə-

1

: a motile male gamete of an animal usually with rounded or elongated head and a long posterior flagellum

2

: spermatozoid

spermatozoal

(ˌ)spər-ˌma-tə-ˈzō-əl  ˌspər-mə-tə- 

adjective

Examples of spermatozoon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Looking like the cross between a spermatozoon and a tadpole, this needy, frail little infant is wrapped tightly in swaddling clothes, resting on the dresser and then the drawer of poor Jack Nance’s apartment in an industrial hellscape. — Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2025

Both gonads are functional and produce spermatozoa and oocyte respectively after puberty. — Discover Magazine, 19 Nov. 2019

The video is being screened for a classroom that includes the bookish spermatozoon, Simen, and his best gal pal, Cumilla. — Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

After extracting spermatozoa from several mice, the team freeze-dried the cells and sent them to the International Space Station in August 2013. — National Geographic, 22 May 2017

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

circa 1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for spermatozoon

• inopportune
• midafternoon
• afternoon
• forenoon
• honeymoon
• importune
• laocoon
• opportune
• pantaloon
• picayune
• tablespoon
• attune

Kids Definition

spermatozoon

noun

sper·​ma·​to·​zo·​on (ˌ)spər-ˌmat-ə-ˈzō-ən 

ˌspər-mət-

plural spermatozoa -ˈzō-ə 

: sperm sense 2

Medical Definition

spermatozoon

noun

sper·​ma·​to·​zo·​on -ˈzō-ˌän, -ˈzō-ən 

plural spermatozoa -ˈzō-ə 

: a motile male gamete of an animal usually with rounded or elongate head and a long posterior flagellum