To surgically remove the testicles. The penis is not removed in castration.

When this is done to a non-human animal, it is referred to as neutering. The female analogue is spaying.

A human male who has been castrated is a eunuch. A eunuch who can sing in Italian is called a castrato.

Cas"trate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Castrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Castrating.] [L. castrarus, p; p. of castrare to castrate, asin to Skr. ssastra knife.]

1.

To deprive of the testicles; to emasculate; to geld; to alter.

2.

To cut or take out; esp. to remove anything erroneous, or objectionable from, as the obscene parts of a writing; to expurgate.

My . . . correspondent . . . has sent me the following letter, which I have castrated in some places. Spectator.

 

© Webster 1913.

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