Meaning & use
eunuch
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Meanings
nouncountable
A man who has been castrated, especially one who served in a royal court or guarded women's quarters in the past.
Grammar: Countable: one eunuch, two eunuchs.
Patterns
- a eunuch in the court
- serve as a eunuch
In some ancient empires, eunuchs held important positions in the royal palace.
The palace eunuchs were responsible for guarding the women's quarters.
Historians study the role of eunuchs in various royal courts.
nouncountableoffensive
A man who has been castrated, often used as an insult implying he is not a real man.
Grammar: Countable, but usually used as a singular insult.
Patterns
- call someone a eunuch
Calling a man a eunuch to mock his masculinity is offensive and should be avoided.
The term 'eunuch' is sometimes used as an insult, but it is hurtful and disrespectful.
Word forms
| plural | eunuchs |
|---|
Common combinations
- palace eunuch
- The palace eunuch was trusted with guarding the royal family.
- court eunuch
- Court eunuchs often had significant political influence.
- become a eunuch
- In some ancient societies, boys were sometimes made eunuchs to serve in the palace.
Synonyms and how they differ
- castrato
- A castrato is a male singer castrated before puberty to preserve a high voice; a eunuch may not be a singer.
Word family
- eunuchoid adjective
- Having physical characteristics resembling those of a eunuch.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'eunuch' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A eunuch is a castrated man, often a palace guard; option 2 is wrong because a eunuch is male; option 3 invents a verb; option 4 is unrelated.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “eunuch”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.