English
semen
Semen comes from Latin sēmen ‘seed’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *seh₁- ‘to sow’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*seh₁-‘to sow’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsēmen‘seed’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500semen
- Englishearliest quotation 1961same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*seh₁-‘to sow’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsēmen‘seed’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500semen
- Englishearliest quotation 1961same form
Earliest quotation: 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs: “Then add four drops of crocodile semen, and pass…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *seh₁- ‘to sow’
since, side, season, earn, seed, sow, seminary, serene, sower, 15 more
through Latin sēmen ‘seed’
seminar, dissemination, seminal, 11 more
through Middle English semen
Today it means
noun A sticky, milky fluid produced in male reproductive organs that contains the reproductive cells.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *seh₁- / semen