Castrato
WordNet
noun
(1) A male singer who was castrated before puberty and retains a soprano or alto voice
WiktionaryText
Etymology
From Italian castrato, 'castrated', past participle of castrare, "to castrate", from castrare, "to castrate, prune", related to *castrum "knife," from the Proto-Indo-European base *kes- "to cut".
Noun
- A male who has been castrated, especially a male whose testicles have been removed before puberty in order to retain his boyish voice.
- A male soprano or alto voice produced by castration of the treble singer before puberty, intended to conserve his voice; the singer.
Adjective
- Castrated; especially castrated prepubescently.
- Having, using or containing the voice of a castrato (noun).
- Originally composed for a castrato.
- Nowadays, either women or countertenors take the castrato roles.
See also
- contratenor
- contratenor altus
- countertenor
- eunuch
- sopranista
- soprano
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