castration

noun

cas·​tra·​tion ka-ˈstrā-shən How to pronounce castration (audio)
plural castrations
1
a
: the removal of the testes or ovaries
b
: chemical castration
… medical castration is more commonly accomplished with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues.Joseph C. Presti, Jr.
2
: an act or instance of depriving someone or something of its virility, vitality, strength, or effectiveness
"In the history of black men in Hollywood," says [Blair] Underwood, "there's been a castration of sorts. Even Sidney Poitier, our first black male superstar, was never allowed to show that sexual side …"Marilyn Beck
The most famous instance is Nahum Tate's 1681 castration of King Lear, which includes … a complete rewriting of the last scene, so that Cordelia does not die but survives to marry Edgar.Walter Kendrick

Examples of castration in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web More advanced nurses also get trained in managing disease, performing castration, goat breeding and marketing, and more. Sushmita Pathak, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Sep. 2024 The first vasectomy on record was performed on a dog in 1823 by Sir Astley Cooper as an alternative to complete castration. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 7 July 2024 But the procedure, an invasive surgical castration, is medically complicated, expensive and sometimes dangerous for hippos as well as for the people performing it. Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2024 Alejandro Mira got the call to assist in his first surgical castration of a hippo last October. Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for castration 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'castration.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English castracioun, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French castration, chastration, borrowed from Latin castrātiōn-, castrātiō, from castrāre "to castrate entry 1" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of castration was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near castration

Cite this Entry

“Castration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/castration. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

castration

noun
cas·​tra·​tion kas-ˈtrā-shən How to pronounce castration (audio)
1
: the removal of testes or ovaries
2

More from Merriam-Webster on castration

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!