chemical castration

[kem-i-kuhl kas-trey-shuhn]

noun

1. a drug-administered alternative to surgical castration that, instead of removing the gonads, chemically reduces the drive or ability for sexual activity and is useful in the treatment of certain cancers, especially prostate cancer. In a number of countries, convicted child molesters and other sex offenders may be subject to chemical castration as part of their judicial sentence.

   Psychiatrists and other medical personnel were called in to discuss whether his sexually deviant behavior could be effectively dulled by chemical castration.

Word History and Origins

Origin of chemical castration¹

First recorded in 1940–45