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Male

Sex of an organism which produces sperm / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Male (symbol: ) is the sex of an organism that produces the gamete (sex cell) known as sperm, which fuses with the larger female gamete,[1][2][3] or ovum, in the process of fertilization. A male organism cannot reproduce sexually without access to at least one ovum from a female, but some organisms can reproduce both sexually and asexually.[4] Most male mammals, including male humans, have a Y chromosome,[5][6] which codes for the production of larger amounts of testosterone to develop male reproductive organs.

Mars_symbol.svg
The symbol of the Roman god Mars (god of war) is often used to represent the male sex. It also stands for the planet Mars and is the alchemical symbol for iron.

In humans, the word male can also be used to refer to gender, in the social sense of gender role or gender identity.[7][better source needed] The use of "male" in regard to sex and gender has been subject to discussion.