sperme
/spɛʁm/
The French word for sperm is sperme.
sperme is a noun used to refer to the biological cell.
Meaning: cell (noun)
Which one should you use?
While sperme is the standard term, you may encounter gamète mâle in scientific contexts to denote sperm.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
sperme is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/spɛʁm/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When writing in English, do not add an 'e' to the end of the English word 'sperm' just to match the French spelling of sperme.
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'sperm' to refer to both the fluid and the individual cell, French speakers often use sperme for the fluid and spermatozoïde for the individual cell.
- While sperme is the biological term, the French word semence is used in legal or agricultural contexts to mean 'seed' or 'sperm'.
- The French word sperme was borrowed from the Latin 'sperma', which was originally a borrowing from the Ancient Greek σπέρμα.
Examples in context
- J'ai eu une insémination artificielle avec le sperme de mon mari.I had an artificial insemination with sperm from my husband.This sentence is useful for describing a medical procedure involving sperme.Tatoeba #931586 by sacredceltic, translation #282474 by Luornu
- Les banques de sperme effectuent des dépistages auprès des donneurs afin de réduire les risques de transmission de maladies génétiques et infectieuses.Sperm banks perform screenings on the donors to reduce the chance of their passing on genetic and infectious diseases.This sentence illustrates how sperme is used in the context of medical banks.Tatoeba #8925889 by lbdx, translation #1425814 by MrShoval
- Ce sont mes chaussettes à sperme.These are my sperm socks.This sentence shows a very informal usage of sperme.Tatoeba #11993962 by Fenrir, translation #11993981 by Fenrir
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is discussing their fertility options with a doctor.
- ChloéEst-ce que le sperme est analysé ?Is the sperm analyzed?
- NathanOui, Nathan, nous vérifions la mobilité.Yes, Nathan, we check the motility.
- ChloéC'est important pour la fécondation.It is important for fertilization.
- NathanC'est tout à fait exact, Chloé.That is exactly right, Chloé.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sperme, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sperme, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
