eunuch

[ yoo-nuhk ]

noun

1. a castrated man, especially one formerly employed by rulers in the Middle East and Asia as a harem guard or palace official.

eunuch

/ ˈjuːnək /

noun

1. a man who has been castrated, esp (formerly) for some office such as a guard in a harem
2. informal.
   an ineffective man

   a political eunuch

Word History and Origins

Origin of eunuch¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English eunuk, from Latin eunūchus, from Greek eunoûchos “eunuch, chamberlain,” equivalent to eune-, stem of eunḗ “bed, place of sleeping” + -ochos “keeping” (akin to échein “to have, hold, keep”; hectic ( def ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of eunuch¹

C15: via Latin from Greek eunoukhos attendant of the bedchamber, from eunē bed + ekhein to have, keep

Example Sentences

A self-styled "eunuch maker" who mutilated paying customers and streamed it online has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years.

From BBC

“Clad in his church vestments, he read with emotion from the Book of Isaiah about a God who extends his kingdom of love beyond Israel to cover foreigners and eunuchs,” The Star-Ledger of Newark reported.

From New York Times

Samina alleges that the constables called her a eunuch and said she should have died instead of going public with her relationship.

From BBC

By 1963, Harry refused movie offers where the Black character was kind-hearted and even-tempered, a propped-up eunuch, which was in Harry’s view every movie Hollywood made.

From Los Angeles Times

“There’s something about vampires as these creatures in the shadows,” said Anderson, who fans will instantly recognize as the strong and mostly silent eunuch Grey Worm from HBO’s “Game of Thrones.”

From Washington Post