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testicles

NOUN
testes
Synonyms
STRONGEST
family jewels
STRONG
ballocks balls gonads male genitalia male genitals nuts rocks
WEAK
cullions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for testicles?
The testicles are the testes (singular testis). They are enclosed within the scrotum. Functionally, the testicles are gonads—reproductive glands. Testicles and testes are both formal, straightforward terms. As with all genitals (aka private parts), there are many, many euphemisms and slang terms for them. By far, the most common slang term for testicles is balls. More crude but also common is nuts. Similar slang terms are stones and rocks. Gonads gives us the slang term nads (and the even slangier nards). There are many other terms, like bits and marbles. The Spanish loanword cojones is sometimes used. Like balls and other slang terms for testicles, it’s also used to mean boldness or courage. The word pair is often used in this way. A more fanciful euphemism is the family jewels. An especially British word is ballocks (sometimes spelled bollocks), which is also used as a general swear word. Some slang phrases, such as twig and berries, refer to the penis and the testicles together. Some terms refer to them collectively—one example is junk.
Are testicles and testes the same thing?
Yes, the words testicles and testes are interchangeable. Testes is more commonly used in formal and technical anatomical and medical contexts. Testicles is the straightforward term most commonly used in nontechnical contexts.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Plastic breaks down into microplastics, which have been found in just about every human tissue sampled, including from the brain, testicles and heart.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 17, 2026

Semenya was legally registered as female at birth and has said that although she was born without a uterus and with internal testicles, she has a vagina and is a woman.

From BBC • Aug. 31, 2025

Microplastics have been found everywhere in the human body, including blood, breast milk, testicles, heart tissue, lung tissue and various other organs.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2025

He told the story of a legal case he worked on in which a 23-year-old man who was working in a containment vessel had his pants catch on fire, leading him to lose his testicles.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2024

And we shall place the defendant at the bedside, holding in his right hand a cup, and in his left tablets, and on the fourth finger ram’s testicles.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith