eunuch

American  

[yoo-nuhk] / ˈyu nək /

noun

1. a castrated man, especially one formerly employed by rulers in the Middle East and Asia as a harem guard or palace official.

---

eunuch British  

/ ˈjuːnək /

noun

1. a man who has been castrated, esp (formerly) for some office such as a guard in a harem

2. informal an ineffective man

   a political eunuch

---

Etymology

Origin of eunuch

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English eunuk, from Latin eunūchus, from Greek eunoûchos “eunuch, chamberlain,” equivalent to eune-, stem of eunḗ “bed, place of sleeping” + -ochos “keeping” (akin to échein “to have, hold, keep”; hectic ( def. ) )

Example Sentences

Wiser and more practical than those around her, Maomao is able to play forensic detective, prevent assassination attempts, suss out political intrigue, resist an amorous eunuch and even ingest bits of poison safely.

From Salon • Dec. 19, 2025

Between 1405 and 1421, he dispatched Zheng He, a trusted palace eunuch, on a series of six voyages throughout the Indian Ocean.

From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022

“There’s something about vampires as these creatures in the shadows,” said Anderson, who fans will instantly recognize as the strong and mostly silent eunuch Grey Worm from HBO’s “Game of Thrones.”

From Washington Post • Nov. 14, 2022

“The very first person baptized after Jesus’s departure is the Ethiopian eunuch, a trans person who is faithful and spreads the Gospel beyond his space,” Bishop Rohrer said.

From Washington Times • Sep. 15, 2021

"A eunuch has no honor, and a spider does not enjoy the luxury of scruples, my lord."

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin