eunuch

noun

eu·​nuch ˈyü-nək 

-nik

1

: a castrated man placed in charge of a harem or employed as a chamberlain in a palace

2

: a man or boy deprived of the testes or external genitals

3

: one that lacks virility or power

political eunuchs

eunuchism

ˈyü-nə-ˌki-zəm 

-ni-

noun

Examples of eunuch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This downplays the social position of actual eunuchs, who sometimes rose to high-ranking positions in the church. —S. C. Cornell, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025

Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew that some men are born eunuchs. —Ruth Graham, New York Times, 17 May 2024

Every Gosling performance — whether the Plasticine eunuch Ken in Barbie or the junkie schoolteacher in Half Nelson, a psychotic getaway man in Drive or a jazz pianist in La La Land — seems unreal, a kind of stunt. —Armond White, National Review, 3 May 2024

The current sanctuary, built after fire destroyed the first in 1897, has a stained glass window depicting the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch. —Frank E. Lockwood, Arkansas Online, 2 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle English eunuk, from Latin eunuchus, from Greek eunouchos, from eunē bed + echein to have, have charge of — more at scheme entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for eunuch

• punic
• runic
• tunic

Medical Definition

eunuch

noun

eu·​nuch ˈyü-nək, -nik 

: a man or boy deprived of the testes or external genitals

eunuchism

-ˌiz-əm 

noun