eunuch
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See also: Eunuch
English
Etymology
From Middle English eunuk, from Middle French eunuque, from Latin eunūchus, from Ancient Greek εὐνοῦχος (eunoûkhos), from εὐνή (eunḗ, “bed”) + ἔχω (ékhō, “I have, keep”). Originally probably used to refer to a bed chamber attendant.
Pronunciation
Noun
eunuch (plural eunuchs)
- A castrated human male.
- 1922, Michael Arlen, “2/1/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:
- Semiramis was the first woman to invent eunuchs and women have had sympathy for them ever since; […] and women can tell them what they can't tell other men.
- 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.
- c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. The First Part , 2nd edition, part 1, London: Richard Iones, , published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene iii:
- He ſhall be made a chaſte and luſtleſſe Eunuch,
And in my Sarell tend my Concubines
- (in translations of ancient texts) A man who is not inclined to marry and procreate.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
castrated human male
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such a man who was harem guard or in Middle Eastern courts under Roman Emperors, important officials of the state
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
See also
Czech
Noun
eunuch m anim
Declension
This noun needs an inflection-table template.
Dutch
Alternative forms
- eunuuk (dated, superseded)
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin eunūchus, from Ancient Greek εὐνοῦχος (eunoûkhos).
Pronunciation
Noun
eunuch m (plural eunuchen, diminutive eunuchje n)
Descendants
- Afrikaans: eunug
Hungarian
Etymology
From German Eunuch, from Latin eunuchus, from Ancient Greek εὐνοῦχος (eunoûkhos, “castrated man, eunuch, harem guard”), from εὐνή (eunḗ, “bed”) + ἔχω (ékhō, “I have, keep”).
Pronunciation
Noun
eunuch (plural eunuchok)
Declension
| Inflection (stem in -o-, back harmony) | ||
|---|---|---|
| singular | plural | |
| nominative | eunuch | eunuchok |
| accusative | eunuchot | eunuchokat |
| dative | eunuchnak | eunuchoknak |
| instrumental | eunuchhal | eunuchokkal |
| causal-final | eunuchért | eunuchokért |
| translative | eunuchhá | eunuchokká |
| terminative | eunuchig | eunuchokig |
| essive-formal | eunuchként | eunuchokként |
| essive-modal | — | — |
| inessive | eunuchban | eunuchokban |
| superessive | eunuchon | eunuchokon |
| adessive | eunuchnál | eunuchoknál |
| illative | eunuchba | eunuchokba |
| sublative | eunuchra | eunuchokra |
| allative | eunuchhoz | eunuchokhoz |
| elative | eunuchból | eunuchokból |
| delative | eunuchról | eunuchokról |
| ablative | eunuchtól | eunuchoktól |
| non-attributive possessive - singular |
eunuché | eunuchoké |
| non-attributive possessive - plural |
eunuchéi | eunuchokéi |
| Possessive forms of eunuch | ||
|---|---|---|
| possessor | single possession | multiple possessions |
| 1st person sing. | eunuchom | eunuchjaim |
| 2nd person sing. | eunuchod | eunuchjaid |
| 3rd person sing. | eunuchja | eunuchjai |
| 1st person plural | eunuchunk | eunuchjaink |
| 2nd person plural | eunuchotok | eunuchjaitok |
| 3rd person plural | eunuchjuk | eunuchjaik |
References
- ^ Tótfalusi, István. Idegenszó-tár: Idegen szavak értelmező és etimológiai szótára (’A Storehouse of Foreign Words: an explanatory and etymological dictionary of foreign words’). Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó, 2005. →ISBN
Further reading
- eunuch in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (‘The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN
- eunuch in Ittzés, Nóra (ed.). A magyar nyelv nagyszótára (‘A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2006–2031 (work in progress; published A–ez as of 2024)
Polish
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin eunūchus.
Pronunciation
Noun
eunuch m pers
- castrato, eunuch (castrated human male)
- Synonyms: kastrat, rzezaniec, trzebieniec
- (historical) eunuch (such a man who was harem guard or in Middle Eastern courts under Roman Emperors, important officials of the state)
- (derogatory) impotent (person incapable of taking a particular type of action that the situation requires)
- Synonym: impotent
Declension
Declension of eunuch
Derived terms
noun
Related terms
noun