eunuch English · revision 851

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈjuː.nək/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|eunuk]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[bor|la|eunūchus]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|εὐνοῦχος|tr=eunoûkhos|t=castrated man; guard of the bedchamber]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[af|grc|εὐνή|ἔχω|tr1=eunḗ|tr2=ékhō|t1=bed|t2=to hold, keep]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) The AHD notes that the word comes from the eunuch's function of guarding the women's bedchamber, not from his castration.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A castrated man, especially one employed as a harem attendant or court official (late 14th century in Etymonline; c. 1430 in the OED).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Eunuchs were placed in charge of harems and served as chamberlains and officials in Eastern courts and under the Roman emperors, where they handled important affairs of state.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) In the Greek and Latin Bible the word also translated Hebrew ''sārīs'', which sometimes meant simply “palace official”.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) A castrated singer was sometimes called a eunuch (1732).^(OED 1989) Figuratively the word is applied to a person or group lacking power or virility, as in ''political eunuchs''.^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 14th century – a castrated man.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1430 – a harem attendant or court official.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1732 – a castrato singer.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A castrated man, especially one employed as a [[harem]] attendant or as an official in certain Asian courts.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A man or boy whose testes have been removed or do not function.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person or group lacking power or effectiveness.^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[eunuchism]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[castrato]]

+ * [[harem]]

+ * [[chamberlain]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}