Dictionary

castrato en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /kæsˈtɹɑː.təʊ/
• kăsträʹtō
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Italian castrato, from Latin castrō (“to castrate”), likely from caedō (“to cut”).

Meanings

1. (literally, not-comparable) Castrated; especially castrated prepubescently.
2. (not-comparable) Having, using or containing the voice of a castrato (noun).
3. (not-comparable) Originally composed for a castrato.
   • Nowadays, either women or countertenors take the castrato roles.

Relateds

countertenor · castratism · contratenor altus · eunuch · soprano · contratenor · sopranista · castrate

Translations (4)

nl gecastreerd (adjective: castrated) · nl castrato- (having, using or containing the voice of a castrato) · bg кастриран (adjective: castrated) · nl castraat- (having, using or containing the voice of a castrato)

castrato en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /kæsˈtɹɑː.təʊ/
• kăsträʹtō
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Italian castrato, from Latin castrō (“to castrate”), likely from caedō (“to cut”).

Meanings

1. A male who has been castrated, especially a male whose testicles have been removed before puberty in order to retain his boyish voice.
   • A castrato stepped forward, a slender / young man with earnest grey eyes. 2001, Bernardine Evaristo, The Emperor's Babe, Penguin Essentials (2020), page 170:
2. A male soprano or alto voice produced by castration of the treble singer before puberty, intended to conserve his voice; the singer.
   • As contexts shift, so does generational taste. Just ask the castrati – the high-voiced boy singers displaced when Enlightenment liberalism restored female performers to the stage. 2025 November 20, Van Badham, “Xania Monet’s music is the stuff of nightmares. Thankfully her AI ‘clankers’ will be limited to this cultural moment”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Forms

Translations (28)

sv kastrat (male who has been castrated) · bg евнух (male who has been castrated) · ja カストラート (male who has been castrated) · sv kastrat (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · nl castraatzanger (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · it castrato (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · ja カストラート (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · es castrado (male who has been castrated) · nl castraat (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · nl gecastreerde (male who has been castrated) · bg кастрат (male who has been castrated) · nl castraat (male who has been castrated) · fr castrat (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · el καστράτος (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · pl kastrat (male who has been castrated) · pl rzezaniec (male who has been castrated) · es castrado (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · de Kastrat (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · tr kastrato (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · pl eunuch (male who has been castrated) · cmn 閹伶 /阉伶 (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · pl trzebieniec (male who has been castrated) · pl kastrat (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · nl castrato (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · sv kastratsångare (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · bg кастрат (male soprano or alto voice; the singer) · de Kastrat (male who has been castrated) · el εκτομίας (male who has been castrated)