testes
|tes-tiːz|
/ˈtɛstiːz/; /ˈtɛstɪz/
(testis)
paired male reproductive glands
Etymology
'testes' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'testēs' (plural of 'testis'), where 'testis' meant 'witness'.
'testes' passed into English via Medieval/Scientific Latin (as 'testes') and entered modern English usage largely unchanged as the anatomical plural of 'testis'.
Initially Latin 'testis' primarily meant 'witness'; over time the term acquired or was used for the anatomical sense 'testicle' and the plural 'testes' came to denote the paired male reproductive organs in modern scientific and medical usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'testis'.
The specimen contained two testes for anatomical study.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the male reproductive glands (testicles) that produce sperm and sex hormones; the paired gonads of males.
The doctor checked the patient's testes for lumps during the physical.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/26 15:46