clasper

noun

clasp·​er ˈkla-spər How to pronounce clasper (audio)
: a male copulatory structure:
a
: one of a pair of external anal processes of an insect that are used to grasp a female
b
: one of a pair of organs that are extensions of the pelvic fins of cartilaginous fishes

Examples of clasper 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.
The presence of these claspers meant that Dr. Azar and Dr. Nel had stumbled upon a seeming impossibility: male mosquitoes with mouth parts made for bloodsucking. — Kate Golembiewski, New York Times, 4 Dec. 2023 Analysis on the ostracod samples, which date from the Cretaceous period, also revealed rare details of the crustacean's internal and reproductive organs, including the male clasper, sperm pumps, hemipenes, eggs and female seminal receptacles with giant sperm. — Amy Woodyatt, CNN, 17 Sep. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clasper was circa 1847

Rhymes for clasper

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Browse Nearby Words

clasp
clasper
clasp knife
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Cite this Entry

“Clasper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clasper. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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