castration

noun

cas·​tra·​tion ka-ˈstrā-shən 

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

Landry's surgical castration law is one of several controversial bills getting attention across the pond. —Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024

In 2022, shocking headlines broke about a group of men who were performing castrations and livestreaming them to paying customers. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2024

The Eunuch Maker looks into the dark world of voluntary castration, while The Jury, which looks at the Australian criminal system and launched at the London TV Screenings, is being shopped as tape and format. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2024

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

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

Phrases Containing castration

• chemical castration

Medical Definition

castration

noun

cas·​tra·​tion kas-ˈtrā-shən 

1

: the removal of testes or ovaries

2

: chemical castration