'spermatogenic' originates from New Latin/modern scientific coinage, composed of the combining form 'spermato-' (from Greek 'sperma' meaning 'seed') and the suffix '-genic' (from Greek 'genēs' meaning 'producing').

'spermatogenic' was formed in modern scientific English from New Latin/Greek elements: 'spermato-' derived from Greek 'sperma' entered scientific Latin/Neo-Latin usage, combined with '-genic' (from Greek 'genēs'), and eventually yielded the English technical adjective 'spermatogenic'.

Initially the roots meant 'producing seed', and over time the compound came to mean specifically 'producing or relating to the production of sperm' in modern biological usage.