[skroh-tuh
m] 
[-tuh] , -tums. Anatomy. | the pouch of skin that contains the testes. |
| scro·tum (skrō'təm) n. pl. scro·ta (-tə) or scro·tums The external sac of skin enclosing the testes in most mammals. [Latin scrōtum.] scro'tal (skrōt'l) adj. |
The external pouch or sac located behind the penis. The scrotum contains the testes. (See reproductive systems.)
"Isn't the sea what Algy calls it: a grey sweet mother? The snotgreen sea. The scrotum-tightening sea. Epi oinopa ponton." [Joyce, "Ulysses"]
scrotum scro·tum (skrō'təm)
n. pl. scro·tums or scro·ta (-tə)
The musculocutaneous sac that encloses the testes and is formed of skin, a network of nonstriated muscular fibers, cremasteric fascia, the cremaster muscle, and the serous coverings of the testes and epididymides.
| scrotum (skrō'təm) Pronunciation Key
Plural scrota or scrotums The external sac of skin that encloses the testes in most mammals. The scrotum keeps the testes at the optimal temperature (slightly below body temperature) for producing sperm. |
scrotum
in the male reproductive system, a thin external sac of skin that is divided into two compartments; each compartment contains one of the two testes, the glands that produce sperm, and one of the epididymides, where the sperm is stored. The scrotum is continuous with the skin of the lower abdomen and is located directly behind the penis and in front of the anus. The scrotal wall is a thin layer of skin lined with smooth muscle tissue (dartos fascia). The skin contains more pigment than that of surrounding areas and has many sebaceous (oil-producing) glands and sweat glands, as well as some hair. The two compartments of the scrotum are distinguished externally by a middle ridge called the raphe. Internally, the raphe connects to a muscular partition, the septum, which serves to divide the scrotum into its two areas
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