# Names for castrated animals



## kusurija

Hi all, 
as my questions on castrated/non castrated domestic animal males/bucks (by separate sorts) wasn't succesfull - e.g. in this thread:
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=972735 I created new thread... (sorry).
I wander, which of castrates (if any at all) has in Your respective language its name? If doesn't have such name, please refer about it too. Thank You in advance!

In Czech:
*Common name in Latin* / *name of (male) castrate in Czech*
*Sus scrofa f. domestica */ *vepř*
*Bos taurus */ *vůl*
*Ovis aries */ *skopec*
*Capra hircus */ *hňup*
*Equus caballus */ *valach* / female castrate: kobyla
*Equus asinus asinus */ probably no name (?)
*Felis silvestris f. catus */ *felix* (obsolete)
*Canis lupus f. familiaris */ castration not used as I know
*Oryctolagus cuniculus f. Domesticus */ *kapoun *(name used for G. gallus too - that more often)
*Camelus sp. */ no name in Czech
*Elephas maximus */ no name in Czech
*Homo sapiens sapiens */ *eunuch *(this is not animal  ) (?)
*...*

Domestic birds:
*Gallus gallus f. domestica */ *kapoun *(name used for O. cuniculus too - that less often)
*Meleagris gallopavo */ probably no name, maybe also _kapoun_?
*Anser anser */ no name in Czech as I know
*...*


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## Outsider

In Portuguese, I can only think of _boi_ "ox" for castrated bull (and _eunuco_ "eunuch" for a castrated man). However, in everyday use _boi_ frequently applies to non-castrated oxen as well. The distinction in practice becomes more between oxen that are kept for consumption, and bulls that are kept for breeding.

P.S. Most people (me included) will not be familiar with the meaning of those scientific terms. It would be nice if you included English translations for them.


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## pegasos

I can only tell you about horses! 
English: stallion/gelding
Finnish: ori/ruuna
Swedish: hingst/valack


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## JamesM

Here are a few more in English:

Animal / Male Non-castrated / Male castrated

Cows / Bull / Steer
Chickens / Rooster / Capon
Sheep / Ram / Wether


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## kusurija

Outsider wrote:





> P.S. Most people (me included) will not be familiar with the meaning of those scientific terms. It would be nice if you included English translations for them.


 
Here You are:

*Common name in Latin* / *Common name in English *(as English has a lot of meanings with these words, this may be problematic and/or with mistakes - as I'm not expert in this)
*Sus scrofa f. domestica */ *Domestic pig*
*Bos taurus */ *Cattle (Cows)*
*Ovis aries */ *Domestic sheep*
*Capra hircus */ *Domestic goat*
*Equus caballus */ *Domestic horse*
*Equus asinus asinus */ *Donkey*
*Felis silvestris f. catus */ *Domestic cat*
*Canis lupus f. familiaris */ *Domestic dog*
*Oryctolagus cuniculus f. Domesticus */ *Domestic rabbit*
*Camelus sp. */ *Camel*
*Elephas maximus */ *Elephant*
*Homo sapiens sapiens */ *wise human*
*...*

Domestic birds:
*Gallus gallus f. domestica */ *Chicken*
*Meleagris gallopavo */ *Domestic turkey*
*Anser anser */ *Domestic goose*


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## sokol

for German (where you should keep in mind that I _may _be referring to Austrian German use specifically in _some _cases):
*Sus scrofa f. domestica */ *Domestic pig: *as posted already on the other thread, for me there's *none *(I do not know personally the name 'Borg' mentioned there)
*Bos taurus */ *Cattle (Cows): *Ochse
*Ovis aries */ *Domestic sheep**: *I think a term exists, but I don't know it
*Capra hircus */ *Domestic goat**: *same as with sheep
*Equus caballus */ *Domestic horse**: *Wallach
*Equus asinus asinus */ *Donkey**: *none
*Felis silvestris f. catus */ *Domestic cat**: *none
*Canis lupus f. familiaris */ *Domestic dog**: *none
*Oryctolagus cuniculus f. Domesticus */ *Domestic rabbit**: *none
*Camelus sp. */ *Camel**: *none
*Elephas maximus */ *Elephant**: *none
*Homo sapiens sapiens */ *wise human**: *Kastrat (or more common, sometimes specifically referring to the Osman Empire but also used otherwise) Eunuch
*...*

Domestic birds:
*Gallus gallus f. domestica */ *Chicken**: *none
*Meleagris gallopavo */ *Domestic turkey**: *none
*Anser anser */ *Domestic goose**:  *none

In cases where I've written 'none' to my knowledge there does not exist a specific term, one would just refer to the castrates as 'castrated XY' (castrated dog, etc.).

And please kindly change the thread title as you want to include humans.


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## kusurija

Thank You all for answers, it is great! As for humans, You are right, better should not include them... But, sometimes I ask myself: if humans "makes" so much battles and wars, if they castate animals and even each other, so what is it? Btw in anatomy and medicine it is almost the same, excluding the honourable (?) _soul_... (I just joked, OMG, I hope, someone will not take it seriously).


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## Outsider

kusurija said:


> *Oryctolagus cuniculus f. Domesticus */ *kapoun *(name used for G. gallus too - that more often)


In Portuguese there is the word _*capão*_ for a castrated rooster (a normal rooster is called a _*galo*_). According to a dictionary I consulted, it can also refer to a castrated horse. This word is seldom used, though. I don't recall ever hearing it in reference to horses.


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## Nanon

Here are the ones I know in French, although many will be missing.

*Sus scrofa f. domestica */ *Domestic pig: *cochon, porc
*Bos taurus */ *Cattle (Cows): *boeuf
*Ovis aries */ *Domestic sheep**: *mouton
*Capra hircus */ *Domestic goat**: *Not sure... bouc châtré, bouc castré (i.e. no specific word)?
*Equus caballus */ *Domestic horse**: *hongre
*Equus asinus asinus */ *Donkey**: *
*Felis silvestris f. catus */ *Domestic cat**: *chat castré (i.e. no specific word)
*Canis lupus f. familiaris */ *Domestic dog**: *chien castré, chien coupé ("cut dog"! On second thought, I think "chat coupé" is also used for cats)
*Oryctolagus cuniculus f. Domesticus */ *Domestic rabbit**: *do they do that to rabbits?
*Camelus sp. */ *Camel**: ***
*Elephas maximus */ *Elephant**: ***
*Homo sapiens sapiens */ *wise human**: *castrat, eunuque (after all, from a strictly zoological point of view, humans _are _animals...)
*...*

Domestic birds:
*Gallus gallus f. domestica */ *Chicken**: *chapon
*Meleagris gallopavo */ *Domestic turkey**: ***
*Anser anser */ *Domestic goose**: **

*About humans, animals, and cruelty. French has two verbs, "castrer" and "châtrer". They have the same etymology but "castrer" is closer to the Latin form. "Châtrer" always has a crude and literal meaning. "Castrer" probably hurts as much  but it sounds less brutal because it is found in scientific contexts, so people tend to use it more often in reference to domestic animals... See above _Capra hircus_ vs _Canis lupus_ or _Felix silvestris_.


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## Frank06

Hi,



Outsider said:


> This word is seldom used, though.


Isn't that a city folk's point of view? Just guessing here . 
Anyway, from my city boy's dictionary: 

Dutch

[Latin, English, male - castrated version]
*Sus scrofa f. domestica */ *Domestic pig: *beer - barg/borg/berg/schram
*Bos taurus */ *Cattle (Cows): *stier - os
*Ovis aries */ *Domestic sheep**: *ram - hamel*
*Capra hircus */ *Domestic goat**: *bok - weer/hamel*/kapater
*Equus caballus */ *Domestic horse**: *hengst - ruin
*Equus asinus asinus */ *Donkey**: *hengst - oen*/kluns*
*Felis silvestris f. catus */ *Domestic cat**: *kater - gecastreerde kater
*Canis lupus f. familiaris */ *Domestic dog**: *reu, rekel - ?? 
*Oryctolagus cuniculus f. Domesticus */ *Domestic rabbit**: *rammelaar - ??
*Camelus sp. */ *Camel**:  *??
*Elephas maximus */ *Elephant**: *??
*Homo sapiens sapiens */ *wise human**: *man, castraat (singers)/eunuch (at a court)


Domestic birds:
*Gallus gallus f. domestica */ *Chicken**: *haan - kapoen*/Engels haantje (lit. English cock, or should I say English rooster?)
*Meleagris gallopavo */ *Domestic turkey**:* ??
*Anser anser */ *Domestic goose**: *ganzerik, gent, gander - ??
Note:
The words marked with an * are often used in connection to people. E.g. 'oen' is used for 'idiot', 'kluns' for somebody who's very unhandy, etc.

Groetjes,

Frank


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## sokol

Nanon said:


> *Canis lupus f. familiaris */ *Domestic dog**: *chien castré, chien coupé ("cut dog"! On second thought, I think "chat coupé" is also used for cats)



There's a false friend with German here: a 'chien coupé' ('cut dog') would be in German 'kupierter Hund' - but this *does not* mean a castrate but a dog who has cut his tail (or sometimes his ears too, I think - I am no expert on these strange 'cuttings') which is done because some races 'should look just like this'.

And another addition on German which came to my mind when reading Frank06's post on dutch:
*Ovis aries */ *Domestic sheep**: *ram - hamel* - in German for castrate = *Hammel*
But the Dutch words of goat do not remind me of any German word for a castrate male goat.


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## Outsider

Frank06 said:


> Isn't that a city folk's point of view? Just guessing here


Possibly, but I have family in the countryside, and spent a lot of time there in my youth, yet I don't remember hearing those words. There may be regional variations in their use or lack thereof, though.


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## Nanon

Same as for me with camels and elephants. If they would have been common in the French countryside I might have heard the words 
I know some more names for non-castrated animals but not for their castrated counterparts.

To Sokol: "chien à queue coupée" (with his tail cut: boxers, etc...) can be related to "kupierter Hund" in German, so the friend is not _that _false after all...


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## mataripis

Tagalog: Kapon/kinapon


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## apmoy70

In Greek:*

Sus scrofa f. domestica */ *Domestic pig: *«Μουνούχος» (mu'nuxos, _m._) a derivation of the Classical noun «εὐνοῦχος» (enuch).
*Bos taurus */ *Cattle (Cows): *«Βόδι» ('voði, _n._) a derivation of the Classical «βοῦς» (bous, _m._) from PIE base *gwous, _cow_.
*Ovis aries */ *Domestic sheep**: *«Μουνούχι» (mu'nuçi, _n._) a derivation of the Classical noun «εὐνοῦχος» (enuch).
*Capra hircus */ *Domestic goat**: *«Μουνούχος» (mu'nuxos, _m._) a derivation of the Classical noun «εὐνοῦχος» (enuch).
*Equus caballus */ *Domestic horse**: *«Εκτομίας» (ekto'mias, _m._) an ancient masculine noun «ἐκτομίας» (ĕktŏ'mīās) reserved for the castrated animals and humans. Compound, prefix and preposition «ἐκ» (ĕk)--> _out of, from within_ + verb «τέμνω» ('tĕmnō, 'temno in the modern language)--> _to cut, cut up, maim, divide (in maths)_; PIE base *tem-, _to cut_.
*...
**Homo sapiens sapiens */ *wise human**:  *«Ευνούχος» (ev'nuxos, _m._) an ancient masculine noun «εὐνοῦχος» (eu'nouxŏs)--> _castrated person, eunuch_. «Ευνοῦχος» is literally the chamberlain «ὁ τὴν εὐνήν ἔχων» (the attendant of «εὐνὴ», eu'nē -->_bed_). The attendant of the women of the king's/emperor's harem had to be a castrated man.
*Gallus gallus f. domestica */ *Chicken**: *«Καπόνι» (ka'poni, _n._) a Byzantine diminutive «καπόνιν», ka'ponin of the earlier «κάπων» ('kapon, _m._)--> _castrated chicken_, a Latin loan word (Babiniotis gives it a Venetian loan word: _capon_)


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## catlady60

In English:
*Common name in Latin* / *name of (male) castrate in English*
*Sus scrofa f. domestica */ *barrow*
*Bos taurus */ *ox (castrated as adult), steer (US), bullock (UK)*
*Ovis aries */ *wether*
*Capra hircus */ *wether*
*Equus caballus */ *gelding*
*Equus asinus asinus */ *gelding(?)*
*Felis silvestris f. catus */ *gib, neuter (male), spay (female), fixed, altered (US)*
*Canis lupus f. familiaris */ *neuter (male), spay (female), fixed, altered (US)*
*Oryctolagus cuniculus f. Domesticus */ *lapin*
*Camelus sp. */ English word unknown
*Elephas maximus */ neutered elephant?
*Homo sapiens sapiens */ *eunuch (man), **unfortunate (both men and women)*. No specific English word for a "spayed" women exists. 


Domestic birds:
*Gallus gallus f. domestica */ *capon*
*Meleagris gallopavo */ *No specific English name*
*Anser anser */ *flipper*

More on neutering animals here.


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## Gavril

More Finnish terms:

sheep: _oinas _
cattle: _härkä_ (I think this is sometimes used for the non-castrated animal as well)
chicken: _kapuuni _/ _salvukukko _(the second word is from _salva- _“castrate” + _kukko _“rooster”)
human: _kuohilas _(based on the verb _kuohia _“castrate”)


Icelandic:

horses, cattle, possibly other animals: _geldingur_
sheep: _sauður_
cattle: _uxi _


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## MaijaPoppanen

Gavril said:


> More Finnish terms:
> 
> sheep: _oinas _(This is correct, but very rarely used)
> cattle: _härkä_ (I think this is sometimes used for the non-castrated animal as well) (In eastern dialects it is used for the non-castrated animals as well)
> chicken: _kapuuni _/ _salvukukko _(the second word is from _salva- _“castrate” + _kukko _“rooster”) (Also _salvokukko_)
> human: _kuohilas _(based on the verb _kuohia _“castrate”)


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## snoopymanatee

In Turkish, we do not have special names for castrated animals.

We say literally: 

castrated horse, castrated dog, and so on.


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## Rallino

snoopymanatee said:


> In Turkish, we do not have special names for castrated animals.
> 
> We say literally:
> 
> castrated horse, castrated dog, and so on.



Actually, there _is _one animal for which we make the distinction. The male of a cow is _*boğa*_ if it is fertile; *öküz *if castrated.


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## darush

in Persian, simply the suffix _akhte_ is added to the name of animals.


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## luitzen

Frank06 said:


> *Felis silvestris f. catus */ *Domestic cat**: *kater - gecastreerde kater


You forgot about the _je-weet-wel-kater _(you-know-what-male-cat). Or is this not known outside of the Netherlands?


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## apmoy70

apmoy70 said:


> In Greek:
> ...
> *Sus scrofa f. domestica */ *Domestic pig: *«Μουνούχος» (mu'nuxos, _m._) a derivation of the Classical noun «εὐνοῦχος» (enuch).
> *Capra hircus */ *Domestic goat: *«Μουνούχος» (mu'nuxos, _m._) a derivation of the Classical noun «εὐνοῦχος» (enuch).
> ...


(Addendum) *Sus scrofa f. domestica */ *Domestic pig: *In Ancient Greek the castrated pig was called *«κάδυρος» kắdŭrŏs* (masc.) of unknown etymoloɡy.
*Capra hircus */ *Domestic goat**: *Besides «μουνούχος» (which is probably Byzantine), the castrated billy-goat is *«ίξαλος»* [ˈik͡s̠alos̠] (masc.) < Classical masc. noun *«ἴξαλος» íksălŏs* or *«ἴσχαλος» ískʰălŏs* and *«ἴσκλος» ísklŏs*; the variation -sk-/-skʰ- suɡɡests a Pre-Greek root *iktʲal- with a palatalised tʲ as second consonant.


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## Penyafort

*Catalan*

A *bou *is a bull (Bos taurus) but it is also an ox in those areas where 'brau' and 'toro' are used for the non-castrated one.
A *moltó *or* marranís *is a castrated male sheep.
A *crestat *or* crestó* is a castrated male goat.

A *capó* can be any castrated animal, although it's mostly used for a castrated rooster. 
A *pularda* is a castrated hen.


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## Włoskipolak 72

Polish

Sus scrofa f. domestica / *maciora *or* locha*
Bos taurus / *wół , byk  *
cattle* = bydło*
Ovis aries / *baran* , *skop*
Capra hircus / *koza domowa*
Equus caballus / *wałach* / fem. *klacz *
Equus asinus asinus / (?)
Felis silvestris f. catus /
Canis lupus f. familiaris / (?)
Oryctolagus cuniculus f. Domesticus / (?)
Camelus sp*. */ 
Elephas maximus /
Homo sapiens sapiens / *eunuch*

Gallus gallus f. domestica */* *kapłon *
Meleagris gallopavo* /  indor*


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## AutumnOwl

Frank06 said:


> [Latin, English, male - castrated version]
> *Sus scrofa f. domestica */ *Domestic pig: *
> *Bos taurus */ *Cattle (Cows): *
> *Ovis aries */ *Domestic sheep: *
> *Equus caballus */ *Domestic horse**: *





Frank06 said:


> Domestic birds:
> *Gallus gallus f. domestica */ *Chicken: *


Swedish:

*Pig:* There are two words, galt and orne, but both can mean either a male castrated or non-castrated pig, the words were used differently in different parts of Sweden

*Cattle:* Oxe - if older than 3 years / stut - if younger than 3 years (still in use)
*Sheep:* Hammel (never heard of)
*Horse:* Valack (still in use)
*Chicken:* Kapun (only seen in old cookbooks)

Sami language, but used in Swedish too (still in use):
*Ren / Reindeer* (Rangifer tarangus):
Male/Female/Castrated male
Sarv/Vaja/Härk

Are Santa's reindeer sarv or härk?


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