sex cell
sex cell — noun
1. a cell produced by a living thing that is specialised to join with another sex c
a cell produced by a living thing that is specialised to join with another sex cell from the opposite kind — the sperm from a male and the egg from a female — to begin the creation of new life
During biology class, Mira examined a human sex cell under the microscope.
pattern: examine [object] under the microscope
Sade drew an egg cell in her notebook and wrote each sex cell holds half the DNA for new life.
pattern: draw [noun] and write that…
Rodrigo learned that the sperm is the smallest sex cell in the human body.
pattern: smallest [noun] in the [body]
The nurse explained that both a male sex cell and a female sex cell must meet for fertilisation to happen.
collocation: male/female sex cell
Under the lab microscope, Indra saw a skin cell with paired chromosomes and a sperm cell with just one set.
pattern: under [tool], see [X] with [feature] and [Y] with [feature]
- male sex cell
- female sex cell
- produce sex cells
- sex cell divides
- form sex cells
- mature sex cell
- gamete
the formal scientific term; used interchangeably with 'sex cell' in biology
- germ cell
a broader term that includes the cells that develop into sex cells, before they become fully mature sperm or eggs
- reproductive cell
a more descriptive alternative emphasising the role in reproduction rather than the biological category
- somatic cell
any body cell that is not a sex cell, such as a skin, muscle, or nerve cell
Usage Note
In everyday conversation, the terms 'sperm' and 'egg' are far more common than 'sex cell'. The general term 'sex cell' is mainly used in biology textbooks, exam materials, and formal scientific writing.
Common Mistakes
Etymology
First known use
1889
1889, in the meaning defined above