'sperm-shaped' originates from English as a compound of two elements: 'sperm' and 'shape'. 'sperm' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'sperma', where 'sperma' meant 'seed'. 'shape' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'sceap' (or related verbs), where it meant 'form' or 'creation'.

'sperm' entered English via Latin/Medieval Latin from Greek 'sperma' and became Middle English 'sperme' before the modern form 'sperm'. 'shape' developed from Old English 'sceap/ sceapian' through Middle English into modern 'shape'. The compound 'sperm-shaped' is a modern English formation combining the noun and adjective-forming suffix '-shaped'.

Individually, 'sperm' originally meant 'seed' and 'shape' meant 'form'; combined as 'sperm-shaped' the meaning is literally 'having the form of a sperm' and has retained that descriptive sense.