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 elongate 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

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

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

• afternoon
• forenoon
• honeymoon
• laocoon
• opportune
• pantaloon
• picayune
• tablespoon
• attune
• baboon
• balloon
• bassoon

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