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US /ˈtes.tɪs/ UK /ˈtes.tɪs/
Freq #147526

Meanings

  1. 1
  2. 2
    noun

    an analogous sperm-producing organ in an invertebrate

    The biologist examined the testis of the insect for radiation-induced mutations.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · either of the male... testiclemale gonad
2 noun · an analogous... male gonad
Opposites
Word family
Forms testes
Derived forms testicular
Related forms testiclegonadspermtestosterone

Etymology

A learned borrowing from Latin testis ("witness; testicle"). The anatomical sense may reflect the paired organs as witnesses of virility, although the precise semantic development in Latin is uncertain. The regular Latin plural, retained in scientific English, is testes.

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