Where does “spermatozoa” come from?
Spermatozoa comes from Ancient Greek σπέρμα meaning seed, from Proto-Indo-European spérmn̥, ultimately from the root sper-.
spermatozoa (English): plural of spermatozoon
Ancestry of “spermatozoa”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | spermatozoon | A reproductive cell or gamete of a male, carried... |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | σπέρμα | seed; semen, sperm; seed-time, sowing |
| 3 | Proto-Hellenic | *spérmə | — |