neuter

UK: /ˈnjuːtə^r/ US: /ˈnutɚ, ˈnju-/ ,(no̅o̅′tər, nyo̅o̅′-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

neu•ter /ˈnutɚ, ˈnyu-/   adj. 

1. Grammar of, relating to, or being a grammatical gender that refers to things classed as neither masculine nor feminine:
   In Latin nouns may be masculine, feminine, or neuter in gender.
2. Developmental Biology [Biology.] having no or imperfectly developed organs of reproduction:
   Worker bees are neuter.

n. 

3. Grammar
   • [uncountable] the neuter gender.
   • [countable] a word or other linguistic form in or marking the neuter gender.
4. Zoology [countable] an animal made sterile by having its organs of reproduction removed or altered.

v. [~ + object]

5. Veterinary Diseases to remove the organs of reproduction of (a dog, cat, etc.).

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

neu•ter  (no̅o̅′tər, nyo̅o̅′-), adj. 

1. Grammar
   • noting or pertaining to a gender that refers to things classed as neither masculine nor feminine.
   • (of a verb) intransitive.
2. Developmental Biology [Biol.] having no organs of reproduction;
   without sex;
   asexual.
3. Developmental Biology, Zoology [Zool.] having imperfectly developed sexual organs, as the worker bees and ants.
4. Botany having neither stamens nor pistils;
   asexual.
5. neutral;
   siding with no one.

n. 

6. Grammar
   • the neuter gender.
   • a noun of that gender.
   • another element marking that gender.
   • an intransitive verb.
7. Zoology an animal made sterile by castration or spaying.
8. Zoology a neuter insect.
9. a person or thing that is neutral.

v.t. 

10. Veterinary Diseases to spay or castrate (a dog, cat, etc.).

• Latin, as above
• Middle French
• Latin neuter neither (of two), equivalent. to ne not + uter either (of two); replacing Middle English neutre
• 1350–1400

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

neuter / ˈnjuːtə/ adjective

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
3. (of animals and plants) having nonfunctional, underdeveloped, or absent reproductive organs
4. (of a person) asexual or genderless
5. giving no indication of sex or gender

noun

1. an asexual or genderless person
2. a sexually underdeveloped female insect, such as a worker bee
3. a castrated animal, esp a domestic animal

verb

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

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin, from ne not + uter either (of two)