neuter

American  

[noo-ter, nyoo-] / ˈnu tər, ˈnyu- /

adjective

1. Grammar.

   1. noting or pertaining to a gender that refers to things classed as neither masculine nor feminine.

   2. (of a verb) intransitive.

2. Zoology, Botany. having no organs of reproduction; without sex; asexual.

3. Zoology. having imperfectly developed sexual organs, as the worker bees and ants.

4. neutral; siding with no one.

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noun

1. Grammar.

   1. the neuter gender.

   2. a noun of that gender.

   3. another element marking that gender.

   4. an intransitive verb.

2. an animal made sterile by castration or spaying.

3. Zoology. a neuter insect.

4. a person or thing that is neutral.

verb (used with object)

neuters, present (3rd person singular) neutered, past participle, past neutering present participle

1. Veterinary Science. to spay or castrate (a dog, cat, etc.).

neuter British  

/ ˈnjuːtə /

adjective

1. grammar

   1. denoting or belonging to a gender of nouns which for the most part have inanimate referents or do not specify the sex of their referents

   2. ( as noun )

      German ``Mädchen'' (meaning ``girl'') is a neuter

2. (of animals and plants) having nonfunctional, underdeveloped, or absent reproductive organs

3. sexless or giving no indication of sex

   a neuter sort of name

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noun

1. a sexually underdeveloped female insect, such as a worker bee

2. a castrated animal, esp a domestic animal

3. a flower in which the stamens and pistil are absent or nonfunctional

verb

1. (tr) to castrate or spay (an animal)

Other Word Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have neutered
  perfect
• has neutered
  perfect 3rd person singular
• is neutering
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am neutering
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been neutering
  perfect progressive
• neuters
  singular 3rd person
• are neutering
  progressive
• has been neutering
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• neutering
  participle

Past

• had neutered
  perfect
• had been neutering
  perfect progressive
• was neutering
  progressive singular
• were neutering
  progressive plural
• neutered
  participle
• neutered
  simple

Future

• will neuter
  simple
• will have neutered
  perfect
• will have been neutering
  perfect progressive
• will be neutering
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of neuter

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin neuter “neither (of two),” equivalent to ne “not” + uter “either (of two)”; replacing Middle English neutre, from Middle French, from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

She added: "Even for a working family that is doing okay, to neuter, chip and vaccinate a cat you're looking at over £200. That's not something to be taken lightly."

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026

His legislation would also provide free vaccinations and spay or neuter services to the felines.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

To admit facts but strip them of consequence is to neuter the Fourth Amendment’s reasonableness standard.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2025

That initial study set off a flurry of debate about the best age to neuter other popular breeds.

From Science Daily • May 28, 2024

To make hybrids, Mendel had to first neuter each flower by snipping off the anthers—emasculating it—and then transfer the orange blush of pollen from one flower to another.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• castrate
• mutilate
• spay
• sterilize