neuter

American  

[noo-ter, nyoo-] / ˈnu tər, ˈnju- /

adjective

1. Grammar.

   1. noting or pertaining to a gender that refers to things classed as neither masculine nor feminine.

   2. (of a verb) intransitive.

2. Zoology, Botany. having no organs of reproduction; without sex; asexual.

3. Zoology. having imperfectly developed sexual organs, as the worker bees and ants.

4. neutral; siding with no one.

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noun

neuters plural

1. Grammar.

   1. the neuter gender.

   2. a noun of that gender.

   3. another element marking that gender.

   4. an intransitive verb.

2. an animal made sterile by castration or spaying.

3. Zoology. a neuter insect.

4. a person or thing that is neutral.

verb (used with object)

neuters, present (3rd person singular) neutered, past participle, past neutering present participle

1. Veterinary Science. to spay or castrate (a dog, cat, etc.).

neuter British  

/ ˈnjuːtə /

adjective

1. grammar

   1. denoting or belonging to a gender of nouns which for the most part have inanimate referents or do not specify the sex of their referents

   2. ( as noun )

      German ``Mädchen'' (meaning ``girl'') is a neuter

2. (of animals and plants) having nonfunctional, underdeveloped, or absent reproductive organs

3. sexless or giving no indication of sex

   a neuter sort of name

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noun

1. a sexually underdeveloped female insect, such as a worker bee

2. a castrated animal, esp a domestic animal

3. a flower in which the stamens and pistil are absent or nonfunctional

verb

1. (tr) to castrate or spay (an animal)

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• neuters
  plural

Participles

• neutering
  present
• neutered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• neuter
  simple
• neuters
  simple
• have neutered
  perfect
• has neutered
  perfect
• am neutering
  progressive
• are neutering
  progressive
• is neutering
  progressive
• have been neutering
  perfect progressive
• has been neutering
  perfect progressive

Past

• neutered
  simple
• had neutered
  perfect
• was neutering
  progressive
• were neutering
  progressive
• had been neutering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will neuter
  simple
• will have neutered
  perfect
• will be neutering
  progressive
• will have been neutering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of neuter

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin neuter “neither (of two),” equivalent to ne “not” + uter “either (of two)”; replacing Middle English neutre, from Middle French, from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

Others also neuter stray cats and dogs to stop their populations from growing.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

His legislation would also provide free vaccinations and spay or neuter services to the felines.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

It wasn’t my intent to be in it, but more often than not, documentaries neuter and make invisible the acts of their creation.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2025

To admit facts but strip them of consequence is to neuter the Fourth Amendment’s reasonableness standard.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2025

“Thank you for your call. Please spay or neuter your pets.”

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty

Related Words

• castrate
• mutilate
• spay
• sterilize