spermaceti

noun

sper·​ma·​ce·​ti ˌspər-mə-ˈsē-tē How to pronounce spermaceti (audio)
-ˈse-
: a waxy solid obtained from the oil of cetaceans and especially from a closed cavity in the heads of sperm whales and used especially formerly in ointments, cosmetics, and candles

Examples of spermaceti in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As recently as the nineteen-seventies, General Motors used spermaceti in its transmission fluid. — Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023 People harvested the baleen, blubber, bone, meat, oil, and spermaceti. — Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 26 Oct. 2023 The animals were particularly prized for their spermaceti, the waxy oil that fills their gigantic heads. — Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spermaceti.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sperma cete, from Medieval Latin sperma ceti whale sperm

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spermaceti was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near spermaceti

sperm-

spermaceti

spermaduct

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Spermaceti.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spermaceti. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

spermaceti

noun
sper·​ma·​ce·​ti ˌspər-mə-ˈsēt-ē How to pronounce spermaceti (audio)
-ˈset-
: a waxy solid obtained from the oil of some sea-dwelling mammals and especially the sperm whale and used mostly in the past in ointments, cosmetics, and candles

Medical Definition

spermaceti

noun
sper·​ma·​ce·​ti ˌspər-mə-ˈsēt-ē How to pronounce spermaceti (audio) -ˈset- How to pronounce spermaceti (audio)
: a waxy solid obtained from the oil of cetaceans and especially sperm whales and used especially formerly in pharmacology as a constituent of ointments

More from Merriam-Webster on spermaceti

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spermaceti

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

More Commonly Mispronounced Words
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels

12 More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A crossword with a twist
winning words from the national spelling bee logo
Spelling Bee Quiz Can you outdo past winners of the National Spelli...