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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

eunuch

/ˈjunək/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:05
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What does eunuch mean?

noun

  1. A castrated man.
  2. A man who is not inclined to marry and procreate.
  3. (figuratively) One that is ineffectual.
More meanings (3)

noun

  1. (historical) Such a man employed as harem guard or in certain (mainly Eastern) monarchies (e.g. late Roman and Chinese Empires) as court or state officials.

verb

  1. (dated) To castrate.
  2. (dated, figuratively) To render ineffectual.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˈjunək/

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

Property makes man a eunuch, and then reproaches him for being nothing but dry wood, a decaying tree.
P.-J. (Pierre-Joseph) ProudhonWhat is Property? An Inquiry into the Principle of Right and of GovernmentProject Gutenberg ebook #360
Landing in Fukien, he was escorted by a eunuch to the Chinese capital amid scenes of great rejoicing.
Charles Hose; William McDougallThe Pagan Tribes of Borneo A Description of Their Physical Moral and Intellectual Condition, with Some Discussion of Their Ethnic RelationsProject Gutenberg ebook #3307
More book examples (3)
They form a circle, facing inward, and the swarthy eunuch in charge stands keeping watch at a respectful distance.
Thomas StevensAround the World on a Bicycle - Volume I From San Francisco to TeheranProject Gutenberg ebook #5136
The head imperial eunuch placed them in position, and, with a low obeisance, departed, the richer by several hundred ounces of silver.
Isaac Taylor HeadlandCourt Life in China: The Capital, Its Officials and PeopleProject Gutenberg ebook #523
Masabates, the king's eunuch, who had cut off the hand and head of Cyrus, remained still as a mark for Parysatis's vengeance.
PlutarchPlutarch: Lives of the noble Grecians and RomansProject Gutenberg ebook #674