spay

spay
spay (v.) early 15c., "stab with a sword, kill," also "remove the ovaries of," from Anglo-Fr. espeier "cut with a sword," from M.Fr. espeer, from O.Fr. espee "sword" (Fr. épée), from L. spatha "broad, flat weapon or tool," from Gk. spathe "broad blade" (see SPADE (Cf. spade) (n.1)).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Spay — Spay, n. [Cf. {Spade} a spay, {Spay}, v. t.] (Zo[ o]l.) The male of the red deer in his third year; a spade. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spay — spay; spay·ad; spay·ard; …   English syllables

  • Spay — Spay, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Spayed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Spaying}.] [Cf. Armor. spac hein, spaza to geld, W. dyspaddu to geld, L. spado a eunuch, Gr. ?.] To remove or extirpate the ovaries of, as a sow or a bitch; to castrate (a female animal). [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Spay — may refer to: *Neutering *Spay, Germany …   Wikipedia

  • Spay — País …   Wikipedia Español

  • spay — [speı] v [T] [Date: 1400 1500; : Old French; Origin: espeer to cut with a sword , from espee sword , from Latin spatha; SPATULA] to remove part of the sex organs of a female animal so that it is not able to have babies →↑neuter …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • spay — [ speı ] verb transitive to perform a medical operation on a female animal so that she cannot have babies …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • spay — castrate, *sterilize, emasculate, alter, mutilate, geld, caponize …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • spay — ► VERB ▪ sterilize (a female animal) by removing the ovaries. ORIGIN Old French espeer cut with a sword , from Latin spatha spathe …   English terms dictionary

  • spay — [spā] vt. [ME spayen, aphetic < Anglo Fr espeier < OFr espeer, to cut with a sword < espee, sword < L spatha: see SPADE2] to sterilize (a female animal) by removing the ovaries …   English World dictionary

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