neuter: [14] From a formal point of view, Latin neuter is virtually identical to English neither. Both originated as compounds formed from a negative particle and an element meaning ‘which of two’. In the case of neuter these were ne and uter, which in combination denoted etymologically ‘neither one thing nor the other’. The specialized application to grammatical gender soon emerged, and it was in this sense that neuter was first adopted into English. The derivative neutral [16] goes back to Latin neutrālis.
neuter (v.)
1903, from neuter (adj.). Originally in reference to pet cats. Related: Neutered; neutering.
neuter (adj.)
late 14c., of grammatical gender, "neither masculine nor feminine," from Latin neuter "of the neuter gender," literally "neither one nor the other," from ne- "not, no" (see un-) + uter "either (of two)" (see whether). Probably a loan-translation of Greek oudeteros "neither, neuter." In 16c., it had the sense of "taking neither side, neutral."
雙語例句
1. I shall be impartial, though I can not be neuter.
雖然我不能保持中立, 我也不偏袒任何一方.
來自《現(xiàn)代英漢綜合大詞典》
2. Worker bees are neuter.
工蜂是中性蜂.
來自《現(xiàn)代英漢綜合大詞典》
3. There are three genders in German: masculine, feminine and neuter.
德語中有叁性: 陽性 、 陰性和中性.
來自辭典例句
4. Today, somebody called me a Neuter.
今天, 有人就開始叫我是無性動(dòng)物.
來自電影對(duì)白
5. Some languages sexualize all nouns and do not have a neuter gender.