neuter

[noo-ter, nyoo-] /ˈnu tər, ˈnyu-/
adjective
1.
Grammar.
  1. noting or pertaining to a gender that refers to things classed as neither masculine nor feminine.
  2. (of a verb) intransitive.
2.
Biology. having no organs of reproduction; without sex; asexual.
3.
Zoology. having imperfectly developed sexual organs, as the worker bees and ants.
4.
Botany. having neither stamens nor pistils; asexual.
5.
neutral; siding with no one.
noun
6.
Grammar.
  1. the neuter gender.
  2. a noun of that gender.
  3. another element marking that gender.
  4. an intransitive verb.
7.
an animal made sterile by castration or spaying.
8.
Zoology. a neuter insect.
9.
a person or thing that is neutral.
verb (used with object)
10.
Veterinary Science. to spay or castrate (a dog, cat, etc.).
Origin
1350-1400; < Latin neuter neither (of two), equivalent to ne not + uter either (of two); replacing Middle English neutre < Middle French < Latin, as above
Examples from the web for neuter
  • Trap, neuter, release has not been proved to reduce the number of feral cats.
  • The same verb is frequently used indiscriminately either in the active or transitive, or in the neuter or intransitive sense.
  • Experts attribute the decline in large part to aggressive spay and neuter programs initiated by shelters and humane societies.
  • They don't neuter or spay and they end up with litters and litters of puppies that no one wants.
  • He can spay or neuter any of his own dogs as he wishes.
  • The party rode to power vowing to neuter the power of the bureaucracy.
  • The problem is that households will neuter monetary policy by working to pay down their unmanageable debts.
  • If the feminine and neuter forms drop the e, use that for the comparative form.
British Dictionary definitions for neuter

neuter

/ˈnjuːtə/
adjective
1.
(grammar)
  1. denoting or belonging to a gender of nouns which for the most part have inanimate referents or do not specify the sex of their referents
  2. (as noun): German ``Mädchen'' (meaning ``girl'') is a neuter
2.
(of animals and plants) having nonfunctional, underdeveloped, or absent reproductive organs
3.
sexless or giving no indication of sex: a neuter sort of name
noun
4.
a sexually underdeveloped female insect, such as a worker bee
5.
a castrated animal, esp a domestic animal
6.
a flower in which the stamens and pistil are absent or nonfunctional
verb
7.
(transitive) to castrate or spay (an animal)
Word Origin
C14: from Latin, from ne not + uter either (of two)
Word Origin and History for neuter
adj.

late 14c., of grammatical gender, "neither masculine nor feminine," from Latin neuter "of the neuter gender," literally "neither one nor the other," from ne- "not, no" (see un-) + uter "either (of two)" (see whether). Probably a loan-translation of Greek oudeteros "neither, neuter." In 16c., it had the sense of "taking neither side, neutral."

v.

1903, from neuter (adj.). Originally in reference to pet cats. Related: Neutered; neutering.

neuter in Medicine

neuter neu·ter (nōō'tər, nyōō'-)
adj.

  1. Having undeveloped or imperfectly developed sexual organs.

  2. Sexually undeveloped.

n.
A castrated animal. v. neu·tered, neu·ter·ing, neu·ters
To castrate or spay.