emasculate

 
Pronunciation: /ɪˈmaskjʊleɪt/

verb

[with object]
  • 1 (usually as adjective emasculated) deprive (a man) of his male role or identity: he feels emasculated, because he cannot control his sons' behaviour
  • archaic castrate (a man or male animal).
  • Botany remove the anthers from (a flower).
  • 2make (someone or something) weaker or less effective: the refusal to allow them to testify effectively emasculated the committee

Derivatives

emasculation

Pronunciation: /-ˈleɪʃ(ə)n/
noun

emasculator

noun

emasculatory

Pronunciation: /-lət(ə)ri/
adjective

Origin:

early 17th century: from Latin emasculat- 'castrated', from the verb emasculare, from e- (variant of ex-, expressing a change of state) + masculus 'male'