neutered

The word 'neutered' originates from the Latin adjective neuter, meaning "neither" (from ne- "not" + uter "either"). In biological and grammatical contexts, it came to signify a sex that is neither male nor female. The verb 'neuter', meaning to remove the reproductive organs of an animal, emerged in the early 20th century, applying this concept of making sexually "neither" one nor the other. The past participle '-ed' transforms this action into an adjective describing the resultant state. The informal, figurative sense of being rendered ineffective or powerless logically extends from the idea of removing a source of vitality or generative force.

Structure: neuter (neuter) + ed (adjective suffix) - neuter: From Latin neuter ("neither"). In this context, it functions as the root meaning "to make sexually neutral or incapable of reproduction." - ed: From Old English -ed, -od, -ad, a suffix forming adjectives from nouns or verbs, indicating a state or condition.