castration

American  

[kas-trey-shuhn] / ˌkæsˈtreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the removal of the testes.

2. the removal of the ovaries.

3. Psychology. the rendering or condition of impotency, literally or metaphorically, as a result of psychological means, especially the willful threat to a person's masculinity or femininity.

4. the deprivation of strength, power, or efficiency.

   the castration of our morale by a ruthless leader.

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Etymology

Origin of castration

First recorded in 1400–50; from Old French or Latin castrātiōn- stem of castrātiō “emasculation”; see castrat(e) ( def. ), -ion ( def. )

Example Sentences

In another photo, you’ve got Craig Lee of the Bags, who will go on to write about punk for The Times, sitting next to Tiffany Kennedy from Castration Squad and someone you don’t remember.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2022

Castration would have kept him from growing a mane, and the zoo wanted to keep the female off hormonal birth control because of its side effects.

From Washington Times • Nov. 16, 2017

Manifest Destiny culminates in June in Los Angeles with billboards by Matthew Brannon featuring a made-up musical group, the Castration Squad.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2015

Castration changes a man’s nature; it does the same with bulls.

From The New Yorker • Nov. 19, 2012

Castration has a strange effect: it emasculates both man, beast, and bird, and brings them to a near resemblance of the other sex. 

From The Natural History of Selborne, Vol. 2 by Morley, Henry

Related Words

• sterilization