any of the male reproductive cells released in the semen during ejaculation, consisting of a flattened egg-shaped head, a long neck, and a whiplike tail by which it moves to fertilize the female ovum
Also called: sperm, zoosperm
Derived forms
spermatozoal (ˌspermatoˈzoal) or spermatozoan (ˌspermatoˈzoan) or spermatozoic (ˌspermatoˈzoic)
adjective
zoosperm in American English
(ˈzouəˌspɜːrm)
noun
1. Biology obsolete
zoospore
2. Zoology
spermatozoon
Derived forms
zoospermatic (ˌzouəspərˈmætɪk)
adjective
Word origin
[1830–40; zoo- + -sperm]This word is first recorded in the period 1830–40. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: format, grid, isomerism, nationalism, stroboscopezoo- is a combining form meaning “living being,” “animal,” used in the formation of compoundwords. Other words that use the affix zoo- include: zooflagellate, zoografting, zoomorphic, zoosemiotics, zootoxin