neuter

American  

[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. Zoology, Botany. having no organs of reproduction; without sex; asexual.

3. Zoology. having imperfectly developed sexual organs, as the worker bees and ants.

4. neutral; siding with no one.

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noun

1. Grammar.

   1. the neuter gender.

   2. a noun of that gender.

   3. another element marking that gender.

   4. an intransitive verb.

2. an animal made sterile by castration or spaying.

3. Zoology. a neuter insect.

4. a person or thing that is neutral.

verb (used with object)

1. Veterinary Science. to spay or castrate (a dog, cat, etc.).

neuter British  

/ 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

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noun

1. a sexually underdeveloped female insect, such as a worker bee

2. a castrated animal, esp a domestic animal

3. a flower in which the stamens and pistil are absent or nonfunctional

verb

1. (tr) to castrate or spay (an animal)

Etymology

Origin of neuter

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin neuter “neither (of two),” equivalent to ne “not” + uter “either (of two)”; replacing Middle English neutre, from Middle French, from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

To help control the population, the city launched the Citywide Cat Program in 2022, which provides funding to help organizations humanely catch cats, spay or neuter them, and release them back into the wild.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

She added: "Even for a working family that is doing okay, to neuter, chip and vaccinate a cat you're looking at over £200. That's not something to be taken lightly."

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026

His legislation would also provide free vaccinations and spay or neuter services to the felines.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

To admit facts but strip them of consequence is to neuter the Fourth Amendment’s reasonableness standard.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2025

“Thank you for your call. Please spay or neuter your pets.”

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty

Related Words

• castrate
• mutilate
• spay
• sterilize