castrato
noun
cas·tra·to ka-ˈsträ-(ˌ)tō 
kə-
plural castrati ka-ˈsträ-tē
kə-
: a singer castrated before puberty to preserve the soprano or contralto range of his voice
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The part of Ramiro was originally for a castrato, perforce sung by mezzos these days. 
San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Aug. 2022 The castrato who created the part of Ariodante was a virtuoso, and Handel took advantage of that skill with several astonishing arias. Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2022 Arianna takes a wife for the new emperor, which tracks musically since Handel wrote Anastasio for a castrato voice that well suits a women. Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2022 Mary of Clopas, a role originally sung by a castrato (an adult male whose boyhood high voice had been preserved by castration), was portrayed by Daniel Bubeck with a muffled, hooty countertenor. Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 19 Apr. 2021 The celebrated castrato with whom Ms. Hallenberg has been especially associated is Carlo Maria Michelangelo Nicola Broschi — known as Farinelli. Christopher Corwin, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2020 Even by the time Moreschi was born, the castrato voice had long since gone out of fashion in the world of opera. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 15 July 2019 Many castrati came from modest backgrounds and were propelled into their careers by families eager for some kind of opportunity in the Catholic Church. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 15 July 2019 Farinelli, the castrato at the center of Claire van Kampen’s baroque drama about the healing powers of music, sings his final solo. Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2018 See More
San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Aug. 2022 The castrato who created the part of Ariodante was a virtuoso, and Handel took advantage of that skill with several astonishing arias. Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2022 Arianna takes a wife for the new emperor, which tracks musically since Handel wrote Anastasio for a castrato voice that well suits a women. Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2022 Mary of Clopas, a role originally sung by a castrato (an adult male whose boyhood high voice had been preserved by castration), was portrayed by Daniel Bubeck with a muffled, hooty countertenor. Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 19 Apr. 2021 The celebrated castrato with whom Ms. Hallenberg has been especially associated is Carlo Maria Michelangelo Nicola Broschi — known as Farinelli. Christopher Corwin, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2020 Even by the time Moreschi was born, the castrato voice had long since gone out of fashion in the world of opera. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 15 July 2019 Many castrati came from modest backgrounds and were propelled into their careers by families eager for some kind of opportunity in the Catholic Church. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 15 July 2019 Farinelli, the castrato at the center of Claire van Kampen’s baroque drama about the healing powers of music, sings his final solo. Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2018 See More Word History
Etymology
Italian, from past participle of castrare to castrate, from Latin
First Known Use
1763, in the meaning defined above