castrate

[kas-treyt]

verb (used with object)

castrated, castrating 

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)

Other Word Forms

• castrator noun
• castration 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

Another contract would provide funding to DonkeyLand to castrate 100 donkeys within a year.

From Los Angeles Times

"They would strip us naked. They would Taser us. They would hit us in a sensitive place. They would tell us 'We will castrate you'," he said.

From BBC

"Life just feels grey. It's, like, castrated my emotions," Kyle says.

From BBC

Trump was symbolically castrated before an audience of tens of millions of people by Harris when she defeated him during their first debate in September.

From Salon

Trump, an alpha male and America’s First White President, was symbolically castrated and neutered by Kamala Harris, a Black South Asian woman.

From Salon

Related Words

• mutilate 
• neuter 
• spay 
• sterilize