# Technical term for precum? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 19, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-precum/331764 "2005-11-19T03:36:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tevildo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Tevildo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tevildo)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-precum/331764/1 "2005-11-19T03:36:12Z")
While beta-ing some erotic fanfic the other day (as you do), a question arose - “Is there a technical term for precum?” A quick search of some on-line medical dictionaries didn’t come up with anything more than “seminal fluid” - is there a more specific term (preferably in Latin) for the liquid component of male sexual arousal, before ejaculation itself? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-precum/331764/2 "2005-11-19T03:38:00Z")
The most jargon-like term I’ve heard for it is pre-ejaculate. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-precum/331764/3 "2005-11-19T03:39:00Z")
> [@Tevildo](#): > > While beta-ing some erotic fanfic the other day (as you do), a question arose - “Is there a technical term for precum?” Pre-ejaculate fluid. Probably not as nifty and medical-sounding as you wanted, but there it is. It’s sometimes called Cowper’s fluid, since it’s produced by the Cowper’s glands. ---
**Author:** ![Tevildo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Tevildo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tevildo)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-precum/331764/4 "2005-11-19T03:49:45Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Pre-ejaculate fluid. Probably not as nifty and medical-sounding as you wanted, but there it is. It’s sometimes called Cowper’s fluid, since it’s produced by the Cowper’s glands. That’s perfect, thanks. Pronounced “Cooper”, as in William, I assume? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-precum/331764/5 "2005-11-19T03:53:23Z")
I’ve always heard it pronounced the way it’s spelled: COW-perz. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-precum/331764/6 "2005-11-19T04:48:12Z")
gleet? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-precum/331764/7 "2005-11-19T04:52:18Z")
Pre-ejaculatory seminole fluid? That’s about as fancy soudning as you van get, I imagine. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-precum/331764/8 "2005-11-19T04:53:19Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Pre-ejaculatory seminole fluid? That’s about as fancy soudning as you van get, I imagine. :smack: **seminal** fluid. I doubt that us males are all spewing forth a tribe of native americans from our wangs. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-precum/331764/9 "2005-11-19T06:59:08Z")
What the heck are Cowper’s glands? I always thought that that stuff was prostate fluid _sans_ sperm. I hate being confused by my own sticky biology. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-precum/331764/10 "2005-11-19T09:23:05Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > I always thought that that stuff was prostate fluid _sans_ sperm. I hate being confused by my own sticky biology. Well not completely _sans_ hence the dubious effectiveness of the withdrawel method (even if you make it out in time). ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-precum/331764/11 "2005-11-19T12:32:37Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > :smack: > > **seminal** fluid. I doubt that us males are all spewing forth a tribe of native americans from our wangs. If I ever change my screen name, I want dibs on “Seminole Fluid.” ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-precum/331764/12 "2005-11-19T12:51:53Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > What the heck are Cowper’s glands? From [here](http://www.phoenix5.org/glossary/Cowper's_glands.html). > [@](#): > > Synonyms: bulbourethral glands > > Definition: A pair of pea-sized glands that lie beneath the prostate gland. They produce an alkaline fluid that forms part of the semen that neutralizes the acidic environment of the urethra, thereby protecting the sperm. Men without a prostate may still get a discharge from these glands (if preserved) when sexually aroused, but not ejaculation.