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spermatophore

[spur-mat-uh-fawr, -fohr, spur-muh-tuh-]
noun Zoology.
  1. a capsule surrounding a mass of spermatozoa, produced by the male of various animal species and transferred to the female.
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Origin of spermatophore

First recorded in 1840–50; spermato- + -phore
Related formssper·ma·toph·or·al [spur-muh-tof-er-uh l] /ˌspɜr məˈtɒf ər əl/, sper·ma·toph·o·rous [spur-muh-tof-er-uh s] /ˌspɜr məˈtɒf ər əs/, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for spermatophore

spermatophore

noun
  1. a capsule of spermatozoa extruded by some molluscs, crustaceans, annelids, and amphibians
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Derived Formsspermatophoral (ˌspɜːməˈtɒfərəl), adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
spermatophore in Science

spermatophore

[spər-măt′ə-fôr′]
  1. A capsule or compact mass of spermatozoa extruded by the males of certain invertebrates and primitive vertebrates and directly transferred to the reproductive parts of the female.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.