spermatheca

[ spur-muh-thee-kuh ]
/ ˌspɜr məˈθi kə /

noun, plural sper·ma·the·cae [spur-muh-thee-see] /ˌspɜr məˈθi si/. Zoology.

a small sac or cavity in female or hermaphroditic invertebrates used to store sperm for fertilizing eggs, as in the queen bee.

Origin of spermatheca

1820–30; sperma- (variant of spermato-, spermo-) + theca

Words nearby spermatheca

spermaceti, spermacytic seminoma, spermagonium, spermary, spermatangium, spermatheca, spermatic, spermatic artery, spermatic cord, spermatic duct, spermatic fluid

British Dictionary definitions for spermatheca

spermatheca
/ (ˌspɜːməˈθiːkə) /

noun

a sac or cavity within the body of many female invertebrates, esp insects, used for storing spermatozoa before fertilization takes place

Derived forms of spermatheca

spermathecal, adjective

Word Origin for spermatheca

C19: see sperm 1, theca

Scientific definitions for spermatheca

spermatheca
[ spûr′mə-thē′kə ]

Plural spermathecae (spûr′mə-thē′sē)

A receptacle in the reproductive tracts of certain female invertebrates, especially insects, in which spermatozoa are received and stored until needed to fertilize the ova.