The word "neuter" is spelled with the letter combination "eu" which can be confusing for some. However, in IPA phonetic transcription, the word is pronounced as /ˈnjuːtər/, with the "eu" sound being a combination of the "y" and "u" sounds. The first syllable is stressed, and the final syllable is pronounced with a schwa sound. "Neuter" is an adjective used to describe things that are gender-neutral or lacking in sexual characteristics, such as plants or inanimate objects.
Neuter, as an adjective, typically refers to entities that lack sexual characteristics or are sexless. In biological terms, it pertains to organisms or reproductive structures that do not possess distinct male or female attributes. This term can be applied to both plants and animals, where neuter individuals are devoid of reproductive organs or have non-functional reproductive capabilities. For instance, certain species of worms can have neuter members in their colonies.
Additionally, neuter can also describe grammatical gender in languages that employ such classification. In those systems, it represents a category used for words that do not belong to the masculine or feminine genders. These words are often identified through their distinctive grammatical endings or lack thereof.
As a noun, neuter can refer to a grammatical form or gender specific to words that do not conform to masculine or feminine classifications. It is used to denote words that do not have gender-specific pronouns associated with them or require additional constructs to indicate gender.
Furthermore, neuter can function as a verb, meaning to remove or render an individual sexually ambiguous or inoperable. This action is commonly performed on animals by sterilizing them, thus eliminating their reproductive ability. Neutering is commonly practiced to control animal populations, prevent unwanted pregnancies, or eliminate certain behavioral issues associated with hormonal activity.
• Taking no part with either side; indifferent; of neither sex; neither active nor passive-applied to verbs.
• An animal fully developed which has no organs of generation, as the working-bee; a plant having neither stamens nor pistils; one who takes no side in a contest or controversy.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word neuter comes from the Latin word neuter, which means neither one or neither of two. This Latin word is derived from the combination of ne- (meaning not or no) and uter (meaning either of two). In the context of language, neuter originally referred to a grammatical gender category that does not distinguish between masculine and feminine. Over time, its usage expanded to include the more general meaning of neither male nor female.