Castration (Noun)
Meaning 1
Neutering a male animal by removing the testicles.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Related Words
Meaning 2
Surgical removal of the testes or ovaries (usually to inhibit hormone secretion in cases of breast cancer in women or prostate cancer in men); "bilateral castration results in sterilization".
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- In the early 20th century, surgical castration was used to treat breast cancer by reducing estrogen levels in the body.
- Chemical castration has been used as an alternative to surgical castration for sex offenders, but its long-term effects are still debated.
- Historically, some cultures practiced eunuchism through castration, primarily to create a group of servants or imperial officials devoid of a sex drive.
- The endocrinologist recommended castration as the best course of treatment to reduce the production of androgens in a patient with androgen-sensitive prostate cancer.
- Castration was considered a more aggressive treatment approach than hormone therapy for certain cases of hormone receptor-positive cancers.
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Related Words
Meaning 3
The deletion of objectionable parts from a literary work.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The editor's castration of the novel's racier scenes left it feeling sanitized and less compelling.
- Some critics argue that the castration of the book's explicit language and themes undermined its impact and authenticity.
- The castration of the play's most provocative elements toned down its intended message and limited its artistic expression.
- The publisher's decision to perform a castration on the author's original manuscript was met with widespread criticism from fans and scholars.
- The heavy-handed castration of the story's more mature themes resulted in a watered-down version that failed to capture the imagination of readers.