NEUTERING

neutering, fixing, altering

(noun) the sterilization of an animal; “they took him to the vet for neutering”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Verb

neutering

present participle of neuter

Noun

neutering (plural neuterings)

The act by which something is neutered.

The vet performed neuterings on four cats.

Source: Wiktionary

NEUTER

Neu"ter, a. Etym: [L., fr. ne not + uter whether; akin to E. whether. See No, and Whether, and cf. Neither.]

1. Neither the one thing nor the other; on neither side; impartial; neutral. [Archaic] In all our undertakings God will be either our friend or our enemy; for Providence never stands neuter. South.

2. (Gram.) (a) Having a form belonging more especially to words which are not appellations of males or females; expressing or designating that which is of neither sex; as, a neuter noun; a neuter termination; the neuter gender. (b) Intransitive; as, a neuter verb.

3. (Biol.)

Definition: Having no generative organs, or imperfectly developed ones; sexless. See Neuter, n., 3.

Neu"ter, n.

1. A person who takes no part in a contest; one who is either indifferent to a cause or forbears to interfere; a neutral. The world's no neuter; it will wound or save. Young.

2. (Gram.) (a) A noun of the neuter gender; any one of those words which have the terminations usually found in neuter words. (b) An intransitive verb.

3. (Biol.)

Definition: An organism, either vegetable or animal, which at its maturity has no generative organs, or but imperfectly developed ones, as a plant without stamens or pistils, as the garden Hydrangea; esp., one of the imperfectly developed females of certain social insects, as of the ant and the common honeybee, which perform the labors of the community, and are called workers.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition