adj
neuter
NYOO-tuh
adj
1
Not aligned with either side; neither one thing nor the other.
"He tried to stay neuter in the office dispute."
2
In grammar, belonging to a gender that is neither masculine nor feminine.
"In German, "das Kind" uses the neuter article."
verb
1
To remove an animal's reproductive organs so it cannot breed.
"They had their cat neutered before it turned six months old."
"Vets recommend neutering dogs to help control the pet population."
2
To greatly weaken or reduce the effect of something.
"The amendment was designed to neuter the bill's toughest provisions."
How to Use Neuter
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNeither one side nor the other — or, as a verb, to castrate an animal or to strip something of its power.
Common pairings
neuter a cat
neuter gender
neuter the opposition
Word Forms
more neuter comparative, neutered past tense, neuters plural, neuters singular, most neuter superlative
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Etymology
From Latin neuter, literally "not either," from ne ("not") plus uter ("either") — the same idea behind English "neither."