epididymis

[ ep-i-did-uh-mis ]

noun

, Anatomy.

, plural ep·i·di·dym·i·des [ep-i-di-, dim, -i-deez, -, did, -, uh, -mi-].

1. an elongated organ on the posterior surface of a testis that stores sperm while they mature and constitutes the convoluted beginning of the vas deferens.

epididymis

/ ˌɛpɪˈdɪdɪmɪs /

noun

1. anatomy a convoluted tube situated along the posterior margin of each testis, in which spermatozoa are stored and conveyed to the vas deferens

Derived Forms

• ˌepiˈdidymal, adjective

Other Words From

• epi·didy·mal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of epididymis¹

1600–10; < Greek epididymís; epi-, didymous

Word History and Origins

Origin of epididymis¹

C17: from Greek epididumis, from epi- + didumos twin, testicle; see didymous

Example Sentences

This had effects on the reproductive organs of the animals, including the epididymis.

From Science Daily

The epididymis is the area in the male reproductive system where freshly formed sperm mature.

From Science Daily

"Our study shows that sperm exposed to a high-fat diet in the mouse epididymis led to offspring with an increased tendency to metabolic diseases," says Raffaele Teperino.

From Science Daily

For this investigation, the researchers from the Institute of Agricultural Sciences used samples of testicles, epididymis and vas deferens from 118 freshly slaughtered bulls of reproductive age.

From Science Daily

The sperm that is recovered using the technique tends to be more fragile because of the extra time it takes to travel through the epididymis, part of the duct systems of the male reproductive organs, compared with surgical retrieval from the testicles, where the sperm and its DNA are more robust.

From New York Times