Castration


to remove the testes of; emasculate; geld.
to remove the ovaries of.
Psychology. to render impotent, literally or metaphorically, by psychological means, especially by threatening a person’s masculinity or femininity.
to deprive of strength, power, or efficiency; weaken:
Without those ten new submarines, our navy will be castrated.
a castrated person or animal.
Contemporary Examples

Then, Quast brings up Joni Ernst, and takes out a knife to, I guess, remind voters about her castration skills.
7 WTF Campaign Ads You Can’t Unsee, From Castrators to Alligator Wrestlers Olivia Nuzzi May 18, 2014

Robert Chesal on how Joep Dohmen uncovered the Dutch castration scandal.
Dutch Castration Scandal: How Journalists Broke the Story Robert Chesal March 21, 2012

Hurst sought to get the castration bill passed during the last legislative session but failed.
Fringe Factor: South Carolina Mayor Won’t Apologize for Anti-Gay Rant Caitlin Dickson October 19, 2013

Historical Examples

castration in the male is performed for several different purposes.
Special Report on Diseases of Cattle U.S. Department of Agriculture

In Hyderabad, castration used to be performed at about the age of sixteen.
Castes and Tribes of Southern India Edgar Thurston

The third method, that of experiment, is available to us only in the form of castration.
The Sexual Life of the Child Albert Moll

It must render intelligible the effects of castration on animals.
The Making of Species Douglas Dewar

In America Everett Flood finds that epileptics and feeble-minded boys are mentally and morally benefited by castration.
Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 5 (of 6) Havelock Ellis

Sterilization, therefore, should not be loaded with the objections which apply to the far-reaching effects of castration.
Mental Defectives and Sexual Offenders W. H. Triggs, Donald McGavin, Frederick Truby King, J. Sands Elliot, Ada G. Patterson, C.E. Matthews and J. Beck

What, then, do they say is signified by the castrated Atys himself, and whatever remained to him after his castration?
The City of God, Volume I Aurelius Augustine

verb (transitive)
to remove the testicles of; emasculate; geld
to deprive of vigour, masculinity, etc
to remove the ovaries of; spay
to expurgate or censor (a book, play, etc)
n.

early 15c., castracioun, from Latin castrationem (nominative castratio), noun of action from past participle stem of castrare “to castrate, emasculate,” supposedly from a noun *castrum “knife, instrument that cuts,” from PIE root *kes- “to cut” (see caste). Freud’s castration complex is attested from 1914 in English (translating German Kastrationsangst).
v.

1610s (implied in castrated), back-formation from castration (q.v.), or from Latin castratus, past participle of castrare. The figurative sense is attested earlier (1550s). Related: Castrating.

castration cas·tra·tion (kā-strā’shən)
n.

Removal of the testicles or ovaries; sterilization.

A psychological disorder that is manifested in the female as the fantasized loss of the penis or in the male as fear of its actual loss.

castrate cas·trate (kās’trāt’)
v. cas·trat·ed, cas·trat·ing, cas·trates

To remove the testicles of a male; emasculate.

To remove the ovaries of a female; spay.

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