σπέρμα

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *spérmn̥, which consists of Proto-Indo-European *sper- + Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥. Synchronically analysable as σπείρω (speírō) +‎ -μα (-ma). Cognate with Mycenaean Greek 𐀟𐀔 (pe-ma).

Noun

σπέρμα • (spérma) n (genitive σπέρματος); third declension

1. seed
2. semen

Declension

Third declension of τὸ σπέρμᾰ; τοῦ σπέρμᾰτος (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	τὸ σπέρμᾰ tò spérma	τὼ σπέρμᾰτε tṑ spérmate	τᾰ̀ σπέρμᾰτᾰ tà spérmata
Genitive	τοῦ σπέρμᾰτος toû spérmatos	τοῖν σπερμᾰ́τοιν toîn spermátoin	τῶν σπερμᾰ́των tôn spermátōn
Dative	τῷ σπέρμᾰτῐ tôi spérmati	τοῖν σπερμᾰ́τοιν toîn spermátoin	τοῖς σπέρμᾰσῐ / σπέρμᾰσῐν toîs spérmasi(n)
Accusative	τὸ σπέρμᾰ tò spérma	τὼ σπέρμᾰτε tṑ spérmate	τᾰ̀ σπέρμᾰτᾰ tà spérmata
Vocative	σπέρμᾰ spérma	σπέρμᾰτε spérmate	σπέρμᾰτᾰ spérmata
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

• σπερματίζω (spermatízō)

Related terms

• σπόρος (spóros)

Descendants

• → Coptic: ⲥⲡⲉⲣⲙⲁ (sperma)
• Greek: σπέρμα (spérma)
• → Latin: sperma
  • Old French: sperme
    • Middle French: sperme
      • → English: sperm
      • French: sperme
  • → German: Sperma

Further reading

• “σπέρμα”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• σπέρμα in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• σπέρμα in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• G4690 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎^[1], London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited.
  • brood idem, page 101.
  • child idem, page 129.
  • crew idem, page 184.
  • descendant idem, page 214.
  • descent idem, page 214.
  • element idem, page 265.
  • family idem, page 305.
  • germ idem, page 357.
  • grain idem, page 369.
  • line idem, page 492.
  • lineage idem, page 493.
  • offspring idem, page 571.
  • pack idem, page 588.
  • parentage idem, page 592.
  • progeny idem, page 653.
  • race idem, page 667.
  • root idem, page 721.
  • seed idem, page 749.
  • son idem, page 793.
  • spawn idem, page 798.
  • stem idem, page 815.
  • stock idem, page 818.
  • tribe idem, page 894.

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Greek

Etymology

Inherited from Ancient Greek σπέρμα (spérma, “seed, semen”).

Noun

σπέρμα • (spérma) n (plural σπέρματα)

1. (biology, botany) the seed, the seed of plants.
2. (biology, medicine) the human and animal seed, semen, sperm
3. (metaph.) the origin, the source, the germ, a primeval element
4. (metaph.) offspring, the descendants, the race, issue.

Declension

declension of σπέρμα

case     \     number	singular	plural
nominative	σπέρμα •	σπέρματα •
genitive	σπέρματος •	σπερμάτων •
accusative	σπέρμα •	σπέρματα •
vocative	σπέρμα •	σπέρματα •

Related terms

• σπερματοζωάριο n (spermatozoário, “spermatozoon, sperm”)

Further reading

• σπέρμα on the Greek Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^el