spermatheca

S1P3E1R1M3A1T1H4E1C3A1
UK/ˌspɜːməˈθiːkə/

noun

A small sac within the reproductive tract of some female invertebrates, such as insects, which stores sperm until it is used to fertilize the ova.

OriginEnglish theca ← Latin thēca ← Ancient Greek θήκη (thḗkē) →
Scrabble 20
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Meanings

nounspermatheca (plural spermathecas or spermathecae)

plural spermathecas · plural spermathecae

  1. anatomyA small sac within the reproductive tract of some female invertebrates, such as insects, which stores sperm until it is used to fertilize the ova.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
spermatothecasperm sac

Origin

  1. Englishsperma-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*dʰédʰeh₁ti
  4. Ancient Greekτίθημι (títhēmi)
  5. Ancient Greekθήκη (thḗkē)
  6. Latinthēca
  7. Englishtheca
  8. Englishspermatheca

From sperma- + theca.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish siittiösäiliö
  • siittiösäiliösmall sac
French spermathèque
  • spermathèquesmall sac
Italian spermateca
  • spermatecasmall sac

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with spermatheca

eurekapaprikaFredericasikaCosta Ricafarspeakerfikakavikariq'atariqa
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

spermatheca. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spermatheca

MLA

“spermatheca.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spermatheca. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “spermatheca,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spermatheca.

Source: spermatheca on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.