castrate

[ kas-treyt ]

verb (used with object)

, cas·trat·ed, cas·trat·ing.

1. to remove the testes of; emasculate; geld.
2. to remove the ovaries of.
3. Psychology. to render impotent, literally or metaphorically, by psychological means, especially by threatening a person's masculinity or femininity.
4. to deprive of strength, power, or efficiency; weaken:

   Without those ten new submarines, our navy will be castrated.

noun

1. a castrated person or animal.

castrate

/ kæˈstreɪt /

verb

1. to remove the testicles of; emasculate; geld
2. to deprive of vigour, masculinity, etc
3. to remove the ovaries of; spay
4. to expurgate or censor (a book, play, etc)

Derived Forms

• casˈtration, noun
• casˈtrator, noun

Other Words From

• cas·tra·tion [kas-, trey, -sh, uh, n], noun
• cas·tra·tor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of castrate¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin castrātus, past participle of castrāre “to geld,” equivalent to castr- “geld” + -ātus past participle suffix; -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of castrate¹

C17: from Latin castrāre to emasculate, geld

Example Sentences

In fact, the estrogen that they employed did worse than castrate the subject—it could act as a cerebral depressant.

From The Daily Beast

And it seemed like Nic was trying to emasculate and castrate this supposedly clichéd action hero.

From The Daily Beast

"If they want to castrate them, that's fine," says Debbie Savoie, vice president of the Massachusetts group Community Voices.

From The Daily Beast

Hence it was not uncommon in Italy to castrate boys in order to fit them for soprano singers when adults.

From Project Gutenberg

I wish the British would catch and castrate every one of them, so that they may be old women in reality.

From Project Gutenberg

We sent them happy thoughts in dreams, inspired them to tame the horse, to castrate the bull, to teach the dog to guard the sheep.

From Project Gutenberg

They will not castrate cattle even through their servants, but sell the young bulls and buy oxen.

From Project Gutenberg

The Holodias will not rear male calves at their houses, and do not castrate their bulls.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• mutilate
• neuter
• spay
• sterilize