vas deferens

American  

[vas def-uh-renz, -er-uhnz] / ˈvæs ˈdɛf əˌrɛnz, -ər ənz /

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

plural

vasa deferentia

1. the duct that transports the sperm from the epididymis to the penis.

---

vas deferens British  

/ ˈvæs ˈdɛfəˌrɛnz /

noun

1. anatomy the duct that conveys spermatozoa from the epididymis to the urethra

---

vas deferens Scientific  

/ văs′dĕf′ə-rĕnz′ /

plural

vasa deferentia

1. Either of two ducts through which sperm passes from a testis to the outside of the body. In mammals, the vas deferens connects the testis to the urethra.

---

Etymology

Origin of vas deferens

First recorded in 1880–85, vas deferens is from New Latin vās dēferēns literally, “vessel for carrying off.” See vas, deferent ²

Example Sentences

For this investigation, the researchers from the Institute of Agricultural Sciences used samples of testicles, epididymis and vas deferens from 118 freshly slaughtered bulls of reproductive age.

From Science Daily • Feb. 16, 2024

A vasectomy blocks the vas deferens, the tubes that are the highway for sperm between the testes and penis.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 2, 2023

During a vasectomy, a section of the vas deferens is removed, preventing sperm from being passed out of the body during ejaculation and preventing fertilization.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

A vasectomy, for the Google-averse, is a minimally invasive, needle- and scalpel-free procedure that “seals” one side of each vas deferens to block sperm from entering the urethra.

From Washington Post • Dec. 28, 2021

There was also a vas deferens on each side.

From Hormones and Heredity by Cunningham, J. T.