vas deferens

[ vas-def-uh-renz, -er-uhnz ]

noun,plural va·sa de·fe·ren·ti·a [vey-suh-def-uh-ren-shee-uh, -shuh]. /ˈveɪ sə ˌdɛf əˈrɛn ʃi ə, -ʃə/. Anatomy, Zoology.
  1. the duct that transports the sperm from the epididymis to the penis.

Origin of vas deferens

1
First recorded in 1880–85, vas deferens is from New Latin vās dēferēns literally, “vessel for carrying off.” See vas, deferent2

Words Nearby vas deferens

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British Dictionary definitions for vas deferens

vas deferens

/ (ˈvæs ˈdɛfəˌrɛnz) /


nounplural vasa deferentia (ˈveɪsə ˌdɛfəˈrɛnʃɪə)
  1. anatomy the duct that conveys spermatozoa from the epididymis to the urethra

Origin of vas deferens

1
C16: from New Latin, from Latin vās vessel + deferēns, present participle of deferre to bear away

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for vas deferens

vas deferens

[ văs dĕfə-rĕnz′ ]


Plural vasa deferentia (zə dĕf′ə-rĕnshē-ə)
  1. Either of two ducts through which sperm passes from a testis to the outside of the body. In mammals, the vas deferens connects the testis to the urethra.

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