epididymis

Thân thiện

A diagram shows the epididymis attached to the testis.

Definition

Noun: * Anatomy: A long, tightly coiled tube located at the back of each testicle. Its primary function is to store, mature, and transport sperm from the testis to the vas deferens.

Examples

• After being produced in the testes, sperm travel to the epididymis to complete their maturation.
• The doctor explained that the pain was due to inflammation of the epididymis, a condition called epididymitis.
• During a vasectomy, the vas deferens is cut, preventing sperm from leaving the epididymis.

Advanced Usage

• Medical Context: The term is frequently used in medical diagnoses (e.g., epididymitis), urology, and discussions of male reproductive anatomy and physiology.
• Scientific Writing: Commonly appears in biological and anatomical texts describing the male reproductive system.

Variants and Related Words

• Epididymal (adjective): Pertaining to the epididymis.
  • Epididymal cysts are usually harmless.
• Epididymitis (noun): The medical condition of inflammation of the epididymis.

Synonyms

• There are no direct common synonyms for this specific anatomical structure. It is referred to by its precise anatomical name. Descriptive phrases could include "the sperm storage duct" or "the coiled tube behind the testicle," but these are explanations, not synonyms.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a convoluted tubule in each testis; carries sperm to vas deferens