castrato

noun

cas·​tra·​to ka-ˈsträ-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce castrato (audio)
kə-
plural castrati ka-ˈsträ-tē How to pronounce castrato (audio)
kə-
: a singer castrated before puberty to preserve the soprano or contralto range of his voice

Examples of castrato in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Handel composed in 1750 for a famous castrato alto. Dallas News, 23 Dec. 2022 The castrato who created the part of Ariodante was a virtuoso, and Handel took advantage of that skill with several astonishing arias. Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2022 Arianna takes a wife for the new emperor, which tracks musically since Handel wrote Anastasio for a castrato voice that well suits a women. Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2022 The only surviving recordings of a castrato performing solo are from 1904 by Alessandro Moreschi. Jim Sullivan, Discover Magazine, 23 July 2015 See All Example Sentences for castrato

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, noun derivative from past participle of castrare "to remove the testes of a male," going back to Latin castrāre — more at castrate entry 1

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of castrato was in 1763

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Cite this Entry

“Castrato.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/castrato. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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