Definition

1. Noun:
   • A castrated man, especially one formerly employed to guard a harem or serve as a court official: A eunuch is a man who has been castrated (had his testicles removed), historically rendering him incapable of reproduction. Such individuals were often entrusted with specific roles, such as guarding women's quarters or serving in royal courts, where their condition was believed to ensure loyalty and eliminate certain conflicts of interest.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • In some ancient empires, a eunuch could attain significant political power as a trusted advisor to the emperor.
  • The sultan's harem was protected by a group of loyal eunuchs.
  • The historical records describe the life of a palace eunuch in great detail.

Advanced Usage

• "To be a eunuch": To be in the state or condition of having been castrated.
  • After the procedure, he lived the rest of his life as a eunuch.
• Figurative/Modern Usage: In modern contexts, the term can be used metaphorically to describe a man perceived as weak, ineffectual, or lacking in power or virility.
  • The critic described the character as a political eunuch, unable to enact any real change. (Note: This usage is often considered pejorative.)

Variants and Related Words

• Eunuchoid (adjective): Resembling or having the characteristics of a eunuch, such as a lack of secondary sexual characteristics.
• Castrate (verb): The action of removing the testicles; to make someone a eunuch.

Synonyms

• Castrato (specifically refers to a male singer castrated before puberty to preserve his soprano or alto voice).
• Overseer (in the specific context of harem guard, though this is a functional, not a definitional, synonym).

Related Phrases and Idioms

• No direct phrasal verbs or common idioms are formed with the word "eunuch." Its usage is primarily as a standalone noun.

Noun

1. a man who has been castrated and is incapable of reproduction
   • eunuchs guarded the harem