acrosome

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈækrəˌsəʊm/US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(ak′rə sōm′)


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
ac•ro•some  (ak′rə sōm′),USA pronunciation n. [Cell Biol.]
  1. an organelle covering the head of animal sperm and containing enzymes that digest the egg cell coating, thus permitting the sperm to enter the egg.
  • German Akrosoma; see acro-, -some3
  • 1895–1900
ac′ro•so′mal, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
acrosome / ˈækrəˌsəʊm/
  1. a caplike structure on the tip of a spermatozoon that releases enzymes on encountering the ovum allowing fusion with the ovum in the sexual reproductive process; this part of the process is known as the acrosome reaction
Etymology: 19th Century: from acro- + -some3

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