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spermatheca

[ spur-muh-thee-kuh ]

noun

, Zoology.
, plural sper·ma·the·cae [spur-m, uh, -, thee, -see].
  1. a small sac or cavity in female or hermaphroditic invertebrates used to store sperm for fertilizing eggs, as in the queen bee.


spermatheca

/ ˌspɜːməˈθiːkə /

noun

  1. a sac or cavity within the body of many female invertebrates, esp insects, used for storing spermatozoa before fertilization takes place
“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


spermatheca

/ spûr′mə-thē /

, Plural spermathecae spûr′mə-thē

  1. A receptacle in the reproductive tracts of certain female invertebrates, especially insects, in which spermatozoa are received and stored until needed to fertilize the ova.


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Derived Forms

  • ˌspermaˈthecal, adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of spermatheca1

1820–30; sperma- (variant of spermato-, spermo- ) + theca
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Word History and Origins

Origin of spermatheca1

C19: see sperm 1, theca

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spermatangiumspermatic