castrate v.

"act of castrating," early 15c., castracioun, from Latin castrationem (nominative castratio), noun of action from past-participle stem of castrare "to castrate, emasculate," supposedly from a noun *castrum "knife, instrument that cuts" (from PIE root *kes- "to cut"). Freud's castration complex is attested from 1914 in English (translating German Kastrationsangst).

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to cut."

It forms all or part of: caret; cashier (v.) "dismiss;" cassation; caste; castellan; castellated; Castile; castle; castigate; castrate; castration; chaste; chastity; chateau; chatelaine; Chester; forecastle; incest; quash (v.) "make void, annul."

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit sastra- "knife, dagger;" Greek keazein "to split;" Latin carere "to be cut off from," cassus "empty, void;" Old Church Slavonic kosa "scythe."