(countable) The reproductive cell or gamete of the male; a spermatozoon.
Used in a Sentence
sperm
Definitions, parts of speech, synonyms, and sentence examples for sperm.
Editorial note
Maybe the operation is a success, but your body develops antibodies to sperm leading to being unable to conceive.
Examples17
Definitions4
Parts of speech2
Quick take
(countable) The reproductive cell or gamete of the male; a spermatozoon.
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of sperm gathered in one view.
(uncountable, slang) Semen; the generative substance of male animals.
(intransitive, slang, vulgar) To ejaculate.
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for sperm.
noun
(countable) The reproductive cell or gamete of the male; a spermatozoon.
See also: spermatozoon, sperm-cell
noun
(uncountable, slang) Semen; the generative substance of male animals.
See also: spermatozoon, sperm-cell
verb
(intransitive, slang, vulgar) To ejaculate.
See also: spermatozoon, sperm-cell
verb
(transitive, slang, vulgar) To ejaculate on or into.
See also: spermatozoon, sperm-cell
Example sentences
Maybe the operation is a success, but your body develops antibodies to sperm leading to being unable to conceive.
In some insects the female is able to select gender specifically by fertilising the egg with sperm or withholding it.
Sometimes its a sperm donor; often the father is not biological.
Women are generally the choosers when it comes to sex, since eggs are expensive, and sperm is cheap.
A woman can steal a man's sperm, get pregnant and the biological father has to pay alimony [2].
What this article needs is a good test for viral equivalent to the sperm/egg one for biological viruses.
In the context of this thread, it's worth pointing out here that the sperm referred to isn't semen, but spermaceti.
Saudi Arabia is an autocratic top down government with a bunch of lucky-sperm drones of the royal family welding absolute power.
You'd have to consciously work to not see talking about the delight of men pressing into other men while fondling sperm otherwise.
I was asked to be a sperm donor at a party by a lesbian couple I'd never met before.
Pygmy sperm whales are not aggresive for humans even when injured or stranded, and I'm really happy with it.
Interesting fact re: 9 yo => making eggs/sperm - good comment overall.
Quote examples
True, though in Melville's time the word "sperm" did also mean semen, and the homoeroticism isn't just in the word "sperm" but the whole of the passage.
"If I'm the father of open source, it was done by artificial insemination with stolen sperm." Richard M.
He starts by giving us a loose, abstract definition of malicious DNA (virus): "``Legitimate'' host DNA is just DNA that aspires to pass into the next generation via the orthodox route of sperm or egg.
"Sperm theft" and "rape of father" are so rare that this argument is utterly ridiculous in the face of persisting sexual violence against women.
Proper noun examples
Sperm theft and rape of the father are counterexamples that have been discussed upthread.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use sperm in a sentence?
Maybe the operation is a success, but your body develops antibodies to sperm leading to being unable to conceive.
What does sperm mean?
(countable) The reproductive cell or gamete of the male; a spermatozoon.
What part of speech is sperm?
sperm is commonly used as noun, verb.