spermous

The combining form -spermous is used like a suffix to mean “of or relating to one who has seeds.” It is occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in botany.

The form -spermous ultimately comes from the Greek ����é������, meaning “sperm” or “seed.” This root is combined with the suffix -ous, from the Latin -ō���ܲ�, meaning “possessing, full of” a given quality.

������ are variants of –spermous?

A less common variant of -spermous is -spermal, as in angiospermal. Another variant of -spermous is -spermic, as in endospermic.

The related form -sperm is used for nouns instead of adjectives.

The forms sperm-, spermato-, and spermo- are also combining forms from Greek ����é������ that are variously used like prefixes to mean “sperm” or “seed.”

Want to learn more? Check out our Words That Use entries for each of these seven forms.

One example of a term from botany that features the combining form -spermous is dispermous, meaning “having two seeds.”

The combining form di- has a variety of meanings, including “two.” As we know, -spermous means “one who has seeds,” and dispermous literally translates to “one who has two seeds.”

������ are some words that use the combining form –spermous?

• angiospermous
• gymnospermous (using the equivalent form of -spermous in Greek)
• melanospermous
• monospermous (using the equivalent form of -spermous in Latin)
• trispermous

������ are some other forms that -spermous may be commonly confused with?

• -merous

The combining form tri- means “three.” With this in mind, what does trispermous mean?