spermo-

American  

1. a combining form of sperm, used also with the meaning “seed,” “germ,” “semen,” in the formation of compound words.

   spermophyte.

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Usage

What does spermo- mean? Spermo- is a combining form used like a prefix representing “sperm.” Sperm are the reproductive cells contained in semen. Spermo- means "sperm" both literally and figuratively, as in "germ" or "seed." It is occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in biology. Spermo- comes from the Greek spérma, meaning “seed.”What are variants of spermo-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, spermo- becomes sperm-, as in spermous. The forms spermi- and spermato- are also combining forms from Greek spérma that are variously used to mean "sperm" or "seed."Related combining forms used as suffixes include -sperm, -spermal, -spermic, and -spermous. Want to learn more? Check out our Words That Use entries for each of these seven forms.