sperm English · revision 15451

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1375|origins=grc σπείρω}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /spɜːm/ ''(UK)''; /spɜɹm/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|sperme]], probably [[bor|fro|esperme]] and directly [[la-lat|sperma|t=seed, semen]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[grc|σπέρμα|tr=spérma|t=seed]], from [[m|grc|σπείρω|tr=speírō|t=to sow, scatter]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[ine-pro|*sper-|t=to spread, sow]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Semen: about 1375, in Chaucer's ''Canterbury Tales'', in Barnhart, about 1386 in the OED, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Figuratively, the seed of plants and other things is from 1610,^(OED 1989) the eggs of insects from 1615, and offspring from 1641.^(OED 1989) A single male reproductive cell is first recorded in 1904.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) Sperm cell is attested by 1851 and sperm bank by 1963.^(Etymonline) Spermatic is from 1392.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1375 – sperme, semen.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1392 – spermatic.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1851 – sperm cell.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1904 – a spermatozoon.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1963 – sperm bank.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A male reproductive cell; a [[spermatozoon]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # [[semen|alt=Semen]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[spermous]]

+ * [[angiosperm]]

+ * [[endosperm]]

+ * [[polyspermia]]

+ * [[spermic]]

+ * [[gymnosperm]]

+ * [[gymnospermous]]

+ * [[monospermy]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[spermaceti]]

+ * [[spermatozoon]]

+ * [[spore]]

+ * [[sporadic]]

+ * [[sparse]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A different sperm, short for [[spermaceti]], is from 1839, as is the sperm whale, so called because the waxy substance in its head was wrongly identified with sperm.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}