Spay: meaning, definitions and examples

⚖️
Add to dictionary

spay

 

[ speɪ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

animal surgery

To spay means to surgically remove the ovaries and uterus of a female animal, typically a cat or dog. This procedure is performed by a veterinarian and is done to prevent the animal from reproducing.

Synonyms

neuter, sterilize

Examples of usage

  • Many animal shelters spay female cats and dogs before adopting them out.
  • It is recommended to spay your female pet to prevent overpopulation of unwanted animals.

Translations

Translations of the word "spay" in other languages:

🇵🇹 castrar

🇮🇳 नपुंसक करना (Napunsak Karna)

🇩🇪 kastrieren

🇮🇩 mengebiri

🇺🇦 каструвати

🇵🇱 kastracja

🇯🇵 去勢する (Kyojo suru)

🇫🇷 castrer

🇪🇸 castrar

🇹🇷 kısırlaştırmak

🇰🇷 거세하다 (Geosehada)

🇸🇦 خصي (Khasy)

🇨🇿 kastrovat

🇸🇰 kastrovať

🇨🇳 阉割 (Yānguā)

🇸🇮 kastrirati

🇮🇸 gelda

🇰🇿 піштірту (píshtírtu)

🇬🇪 კასტრაცია (kastratsia)

🇦🇿 kastrasiya

🇲🇽 castrar

Etymology

The word 'spay' originated in the mid-20th century in the United States. It comes from the Old French word 'espeer', which means 'to cut with a sharp instrument'. The practice of spaying animals became more common as a way to control the population of stray animals and prevent overbreeding.

See also: nonpayer, nonpayment, pay, payable, payback, payee, payer, paymaster, payment, payments, payoff, payor, paywise, repay, repayment.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #39,778, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.