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The combining form -spermal 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 -spermal ultimately comes from Greek ����é������, meaning “sperm” or “seed.” This form in English is combined with the suffix -al, from Latin �������, meaning “pertaining to.”

What are variants of -spermal?

A more common variant of -spermal is -spermous, as in gymnospermous; another variant 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 �y��vlogs That Use entries for each of these seven forms.

One example of a term from botany that features the combining form -spermal is angiospermal, “of or relating to a plant having its seeds enclosed in an ovary.” Orchids, pea plants, and grass are all examples of angiosperms.

The angio- portion of the word means “vessel” or “container.” As we know, the form -spermal means “of or relating to one who has seeds.” Angiospermal literally translates to “having seeds (in a) vessel.”

What are some words that use the combining form -spermal?

• endospermal (using the equivalent form of -sperm in French)
• gymnospermal (using the equivalent form of -sperm in Latin)
• oospermal
• pteridospermal (using the equivalent form of -sperm in Latin)
• zoospermal

What are some other forms that -sperm may be commonly confused with?

• -sphere
• -splain
• -spore

Some seeds are known as gymnospermal. Given that gymno- means “bare” or “exposed,” what characterizes gymnospermal seeds? (Hint: it’s the opposite of what characterizes angiospermal seeds.)