gonad

noun

go·​nad ˈgō-ˌnad How to pronounce gonad (audio)
: a reproductive gland (such as an ovary or testis) that produces gametes
gonadal
gō-ˈna-dᵊl How to pronounce gonad (audio)
adjective

Examples of gonad in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Purple sea urchins tend to be small and lack the rich gonads that make the reds so profitable. — Rebecca Vega Thurber, The Conversation, 26 Sep. 2025 At six weeks, the gonad switches on the developmental pathway to become an ovary or a testis. — Claire Ainsworth, Scientific American, 22 Oct. 2018 If all goes to plan, the cells will travel to the embryo’s gonads, transforming them so that the females produce eggs and the males produce sperm not of the host species but of the moa. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 19 May 2026 This process begins with the day’s first light, when photoreceptive proteins called opsins in the gonads detect sunlight, triggering production of a hormone that matures developing gametes. — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gonad

Word History

Etymology

New Latin gonad-, gonas, from Greek gonos

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gonad was in 1880

Rhymes for gonad

See All Rhymes for gonad

Browse Nearby Words

-gon
gonad
gonadectomize
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gonad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gonad. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

gonad

noun
go·​nad ˈgō-ˌnad How to pronounce gonad (audio)
: a sperm- or egg-producing gland (as a testis or ovary)

called also sex gland

Medical Definition

gonad

noun
go·​nad ˈgō-ˌnad How to pronounce gonad (audio)
: a gamete-producing reproductive gland (as an ovary or testis)
gonadal
gō-ˈnad-ᵊl How to pronounce gonad (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on gonad

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gonad

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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