emasculate

/ɪˈmask.jʊlˌeɪt/

//ɪˈmask.jʊlˌeɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"emasculate" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“emasculate” is uncommon English (frequency #95,935 among 2,246 “E” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#95,935
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To deprive of virile or procreative power; to castrate, to geld.

Corpus desk

Index EN-emasculate · emasculate · English

emasculate · rank #95,935 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #95,935
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH elephantine

Nearest frequency peer: elephantine (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “emasculate”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “emasculate” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for emasculate
PropertyValue
Headwordemasculate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪˈmask.jʊlˌeɪt/
Letters10
Frequency rank#95,935
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “emasculate” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).emasculatefalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “elephantine” (#95,934), “emasculation” (#95,936), “electrum” (#95,933). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “emasculate” is #95,935. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

emasculate is uncommon English at frequency #95,935 among 2,246 “E” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪˈmask.jʊlˌeɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for emasculate, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Medieval Latin ēmasculātus, perfect passive participle of ēmasculō (“to emasculate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ē(x)- (“out, from, apart”) + masculus (“male, masculine”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix), further from mās (“a man… The correct English form is emasculate, spelled E-M-A-S-C-U-L-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To deprive of virile or procreative power; to castrate, to geld.
  2. 2
    To deprive of virile or procreative power; to castrate, to geld.
  3. 3
    To deprive of masculine vigor or spirit; to weaken; to render effeminate; to vitiate by unmanly softness.
  4. 4
    Of a flower: to deprive of the anthers.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how emasculate appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Castration has a ſtrange effect; it emaſculates both man, beaſt and bird, and brings them to a near reſemblance of the other ſex. Thus, eunuchs have ſmooth unmuſcular arms, thighs, and legs; and broad hips, and beardleſs chins, and ſqueaking voices. Gelt stags and bucks have hornleſs heads, like hinds and does.
  2. At Athens the Prieſts and Prieſteſſes were drawn by lot, from the men and virgins of diſtinguiſhed family and irreproachable life. Maimed or deformed perſons were not admitted, and purity and chaſtity were ſo particularly required, that the Prieſts frequently uſed means to emaſculate themselves.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin ēmasculātus, perfect passive participle of ēmasculō (“to emasculate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ē(x)- (“out, from, apart”) + masculus (“male, masculine”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix), further from mās (“a man, a male”) + -culus (diminutive suffix).

This word in other languages

emascular(Español)émasculer(Français)entmannen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "emasculate"?
"emasculate" is spelled E-M-A-S-C-U-L-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈmask.jʊlˌeɪt/.
What does "emasculate" mean?
As a verb, "emasculate" means: To deprive of virile or procreative power; to castrate, to geld.
How do you pronounce "emasculate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "emasculate" is /ɪˈmask.jʊlˌeɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "emasculate"?
From Medieval Latin ēmasculātus, perfect passive participle of ēmasculō (“to emasculate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ē(x)- (“out, from, apart”) + masculus (“male, masculine”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix), further from m... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "emasculate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

dramaturgy#95,920donnybrook#95,913extramural#95,957dissidence#95,908

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list