4 syllables: Sper, ma, to, zoa. Stress on to.
spurr-muh-TOH-zoh-uh
/spɜːɹ mə ˈtoʊ zoə/
Spermatozoa is pronounced spurr-muh-TOH-zoh-uh (/spɜːɹ mə ˈtoʊ zoə/). It has four syllables (Sper-ma-to-zoa), with the stress on "to". Spermatozoa are the male reproductive cells in animals, singularly called a spermatozoon, collectively referring to the cells found in semen. The term is used in biology and medicine to designate the motile, flagellated gametes responsible for fertilization. In plural form, it denotes more than one sperm cell. (2–4 sentences, 50–80 words).
nounSpermatozoa are the male reproductive cells in animals, singularly called a spermatozoon, collectively referring to the cells found in semen. The term is used in biology and medicine to designate the motile, flagellated gametes responsible for fertilization. In plural form, it denotes more than one sperm cell. (2–4 sentences, 50–80 words)
"Researchers isolated spermatozoa to study motility patterns."
"The electron microscope revealed the structure of spermatozoa membranes."
"Spermatozoa count varied among individuals in the study."
Spermatozoa is pronounced /ˌspɜːr.məˈtəʊ.zi.ə/ in US/UK; Australian is /ˌspɜː.məˈtəʊ.zi.ə/. The primary stress falls on the third syllable: sper-MA-to-zoa. Break it into four parts: sper- /spɜːr/, ma- /mə/, to- /təʊ/, -zoa /zi.ə/. Keep the /z/ clear in the penultimate syllable and avoid turning the final -a into a hard vowel. Audio references: you can compare with recordings on Pronounce, Forvo, or YouGlish for native speakers saying “spermatozoa.”
Common errors include truncating the word after the third syllable (spermato-), misplacing stress (putting it on the first or second syllable), and mispronouncing the final -zoa as ‘oh-uh’ or ‘zo-ah’ with uncertain vowel quality. Correct by practicing the four-syllable segmentation sper-MA-to-zo-a and keeping the final -a unstressed but audible as /ə/. Practice with minimal pairs focusing on stress placement and the /zi.ə/ ending. Listen to native speakers and mimic the rhythm.”
In US and UK, the pronunciation centers on /ˌspɜːr.məˈtoʊ.zi.ə/ with rhotic /r/ in US and a smoother /ə/ in non-rhotic UK speech; AU shares the US rhythm but may feature slightly broader vowel qualities and a more clipped /ˈtoʊ/ depending on speaker. Australia often maintains non-rhotic tendencies less strongly than the UK but can exhibit /ɜː/ vs /ə/ realizations in unstressed syllables. Listening to Pronounce or YouGlish samples helps capture subtle vowel shifts across regions.”
It’s a multi-syllabic, four-syllable word with a cluster of vowels and a final unaccented -oa- sequence. The consonant sequence /sp/ at the start and the /zi.ə/ ending can trip non-native speakers. The primary challenge is correct stress placement on MA and TO- segments, plus maintaining clear /z/ before the final /i.ə/. Breaking into four syllables, slow pronunciation, and listening to native recordings helps solidify the cadence and reduces slurring of -toʊ- and -zi.ə.”
The word preserves a four-syllable cadence with a clear primary stress on the third syllable and a reduced final -a (/ə/). The tricky part is sustaining a crisp /zi.ə/ ending while keeping the earlier /tə/ from becoming a dull schwa. A mindful practice focuses on segmenting sper-MA-to-zoa and ensuring the nucleus of the third syllable is strong without losing the trailing /zi.ə/ clarity. Use slow drills to lock the rhythm.”
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US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; UK: non-rhotic; AU: usually rhotic in careful speech but can be non-rhotic in casual speech. Vowel guidance: US /ˈspɜːr.məˈtoʊ.zi.ə/ has /ɜːr/ in the first stressed syllable; UK /ˈspəː.məˈtəʊ.zi.ə/ features a shorter /ə/ and a more central /ə/ in MA; AU tends toward /ˈspɜː.məˈtəʊː.zi.ə/ with bite-sized vowels. IPA anchors: keep /ˈtoʊ/ in the 3rd syllable; final /ə/ is weak. Use shadowing and recordings to compare.
Spermatozoa derives from Late Latin spermatozoon, with sperm- from Greek sperm? meaning “seed” (as in seed, seed bearer) and -atozoon from Greek ἄζων (azon) meaning “unbeating, living cell.” The plural -zoa comes from -zoon (animal, living being) via Latinized Greek. The term first appeared in medical literature in the 19th century as microscopy revealed mammalian spermatozoa. The root sperm- reflects seed or seed-bearing, while zoa denotes animals or life forms, emphasizing these cells as motile, seed-bearing units. Over time, usage refined to distinguish individual spermatozoa from ova in fertilization studies, with modern contexts spanning reproductive biology, human medicine, and veterinary science.
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Words that rhyme with "Spermatozoa"
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