castration
Americannoun
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the removal of the testes.
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the removal of the ovaries.
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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.
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the deprivation of strength, power, or efficiency.
the castration of our morale by a ruthless leader.
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Pets At Home in Chingford, east London the Vets for Pets practice charges £136 for a rabbit castration including two follow-up consultations.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
Young animals are especially vulnerable as the umbilical cord and wounds from typical husbandry practices such as castration are prime sites for infestation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
Lead author Mike Garratt of the University of Otago explains that only castration, not vasectomy, increased male lifespan.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 16, 2026
Maybe there’s some over-determined way to be like, “Oh, did my desire all come down to questions about castration anxiety manifested in a cactus chucked out the window by my older brother?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 17, 2023
The process of taming almost always involves the castration of males.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
