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Glite Dictionary
🐞 Inserted for mating 🐞 Mating organ
intromittent

intromittent

9.9
Inserted into a mate during mating to deliver sperm
  • adjective
  • /ˌɪntrəˈmɪtənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : intromitente
  • Waage discovered that the male damselfly's remarkable intromittent organ does more than just transfer sperm into the female.
  • intromittent organ

Examples

  • In some species, the male uses an intromittent organ to deliver sperm during mating.

  • The intromittent organ of the male seahorse allows it to transfer eggs into the female's pouch.

  • Researchers studied the intromittent organ of certain insects to understand their reproductive strategies.

Synonyms

insertive
vsintromittent
  • Specialized
7.8

Relating to putting something into the body during medical treatment

is limited to a reproductive organ or structure that is put into another

Surface Forms

intromittent positive

Morphology

intromittent = intromit (semi-transparent) = intro + mitt + ent

The prefix 'intro-' (into) is clear, but the combining form '-mitt' is not a standalone English verb for many learners, so the formation is only partly transparent.

Etymology

Intromittent comes from the Latin parts in- 'into' and mittere 'to send', the same root you see in submit. So an intromittent structure is something 'sent into' another during mating, which is why the adjective describes an organ that is inserted to transfer sperm.