sperm

1 of 2

noun

ˈspərm 

plural sperm or sperms

1

a

: semen

b

: a male gamete

especially : spermatozoon sense 1

2

: a product of the sperm whale

sperm-

2 of 2

combining form

variants or spermo- or sperma- or spermi-

: seed : germ : sperm

spermatheca

spermicide

Examples of sperm in a Sentence

Noun

The sperm fertilizes the egg.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the labs, visitors are shown how scientists take red blood cells from a developing egg embryo – within the blood will be the primordial germ cells, which develop into egg and sperm in adult birds. —Mike Snider, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026

Those eggs are then fertilized with sperm in a lab and placed in a woman’s uterus — in Bunnie and Jelly’s case, the surrogate’s. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 17 Feb. 2026

The Mediterranean-style diet is linked with higher pregnancy rates and studies on sperm health show that nutrition, exercise, sleep, and avoiding toxins improve sperm count, motility, and DNA integrity. —Rachel Hosie, SELF, 16 Feb. 2026

The arrangement was a traditional surrogacy, meaning that the child would be conceived through artificial insemination, using William Stern’s sperm and Whitehead’s egg. —Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Middle French esperme, sperme, from Late Latin spermat-, sperma, from Greek, literally, seed, from speirein to sow; probably akin to Armenian p'aratem I dispense

Combining form

Greek sperm-, spermo-, from sperma

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sperm

• sperm bank
• sperm cell
• sperm count
• sperm donor
• sperm nucleus
• sperm oil
• sperm whale

Rhymes for sperm

• berm
• ferm
• firm
• germ
• herm
• squirm
• term
• therm
• worm
• wurm
• affirm
• bookworm

Kids Definition

sperm

noun

ˈspərm 

plural sperm or sperms

1

: semen

2

: a mobile male gamete that has a long and thin or rounded head and a long thin tail that acts as a flagellum

called also spermatozoon, sperm cell

Medical Definition

sperm

noun

ˈspərm 

plural sperm or sperms

1

: the male impregnating fluid : semen

2

: a male gamete

especially : spermatozoon