spermatoid
|sper-ma-toid|
🇺🇸
/ˈspɝməˌtɔɪd/
🇬🇧
/ˈspɜːmətɔɪd/
resembling a sperm
Etymology
'spermatoid' originates from formation combining the element 'spermato-' (from Greek 'sperma' meaning 'seed') and the suffix '-oid' (from Greek 'eidos' meaning 'form, likeness').
'spermatoid' was formed in modern scientific English by joining the combining form 'spermato-' (used in words like 'spermatozoon') with the adjective-forming suffix '-oid', producing a term meaning 'seed- or sperm-like'.
Initially, the word meant 'resembling a sperm' and it has retained this specific biological meaning in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a motile, sperm-like reproductive cell or gamete; a cell resembling a spermatozoon (used in zoology and microbiology).
Some algae produce spermatoids that swim toward the egg.
Synonyms
Adjective 1
resembling or characteristic of sperm; sperm-like in form or function.
The organism had a spermatoid tail that aided its mobility.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/12 13:01