spermic

¹ American  

[spur-mik] / ˈspɜr mɪk /

adjective

1. spermatic.

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-spermic ² American  

1. variant of -spermal.

   endospermic.

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spermic British  

/ ˈspɜːmɪk /

adjective

1. another word for spermatic

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Usage

What does -spermic mean? The combining form -spermic is used like a suffix to mean “of or relating to one who has seeds." It is occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in botany.The form -spermic comes from Latin -spermicus, which uses the equivalent forms of -sperm and -ic in Latin. The suffix -ic means "having some characteristics of," from both Greek -ikós and Latin -icus.What are variants of -spermic?The forms -spermous and -spermal, as in gymnospermous and gymnospermal, are both variants of -spermic. The related form -sperm is used for nouns instead of adjectives.The forms sperm-, spermato-, and spermo- are also combining forms from Greek spérma that are variously used like prefixes to mean "sperm" or "seed."Want to learn more? Check out our Words That Use entries for each of these seven forms.

Etymology

Origin of spermic¹

First recorded in 1855–60; sperm- + -ic

Origin of -spermic¹

< New Latin -spermicus. See -sperm, -ic