castrate

/ˌkæˈstreɪt/

/ˈkæstreɪt/

Other forms: castrated; castrating; castrates

To castrate a male animal is to surgically remove its testicles. A veterinarian castrates a male dog to ensure that it can't mate with a female and produce unwanted puppies.

People often choose to castrate pets or farm animals to keep them from reproducing. Castrate is one of several words used to refer to this process; most pet owners prefer terms such as neuter or fix. Castrate comes from a Latin root, castrare, which means not just "to castrate," but also "to prune." The word has also come to mean "to take away strength."

Definitions of castrate

1. verb

   remove the testicles of a male animal
   synonyms: demasculinise, demasculinize, emasculate

   types:

   caponise, caponize

   convert a cock into a capon

   cut, geld

   cut off the testicles (of male animals such as horses)

   type of:

   desex, desexualise, desexualize, fix, sterilise, sterilize, unsex

   make infertile
2. verb

   remove the ovaries of
   synonyms: alter, neuter, spay

   types:

   defeminise, defeminize

   remove the ovaries of (female mammals such as cats)

   type of:

   desex, desexualise, desexualize, fix, sterilise, sterilize, unsex

   make infertile
3. verb

   deprive of strength or vigor
   synonyms: emasculate

   type of:

   nerf, weaken

   lessen the strength of
4. verb

   edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
   synonyms: bowdlerise, bowdlerize, expurgate, shorten

   type of:

   abbreviate, abridge, contract, cut, foreshorten, reduce, shorten

   reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
5. noun

   a man who has been castrated and is incapable of reproduction
   synonyms: eunuch

   type of:

   adult male, man

   an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)