eunuch

Meaning

Noun

1. A castrated human male.
2. Such a man employed as harem guard or in certain (mainly Eastern) monarchies (e.g. late Roman and Chinese Empires) as court or state officials.
3. A man who is not inclined to marry and procreate.
4. (figuratively) One that is ineffectual.

Verb

1. (dated, transitive) To castrate.
2. (dated, figuratively, transitive) To render ineffectual.

Synonyms

castrate

impotent man

hermaphrodite

capon

not a man

castrated man

unmanly

castrated person

spado

person

🧑‍🦱

bird

🐦

court

government agency

animal

🐾

spade

Translations

eunuque

Eunuch

eunuco

eunuco

eunuch

Kastrat

ευνούχος

eunuco

eunuc

castrato

hadım

eunuchus

castrat

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈjuː.nək/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: eunuk

In summary

Etymology tree
Ancient Greek εὐνή (eunḗ)
Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ-der.
Proto-Hellenic *hékʰō
Ancient Greek ἔχω (ékhō)
Ancient Greek εὐνοῦχος (eunoûkhos)bor.
Latin eunūchusder.
Middle English eunuk
English eunuch
From Middle English eunuk, from Middle French eunuque, from Latin eunūchus, from Ancient Greek εὐνοῦχος (eunoûkhos), from εὐνή (eunḗ, “bed”) + ἔχω (ékhō, “I have, keep”). Originally probably used to refer to a bed chamber attendant.