castrato

Meanings

Noun

• A male who has been castrated, especially a male whose testicles have been removed before puberty in order to retain his boyish voice.
• A male soprano or alto voice produced by castration of the treble singer before puberty, intended to conserve his voice; the singer.

Adjective

• Castrated; especially castrated prepubescently.
• Having, using or containing the voice of a castrato (noun).
• Originally composed for a castrato.

Origin

• From Italian castrato, from Latin castrō ("to castrate"), likely from caedō.