spay

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈspeɪ/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/speɪ/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(spā)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
spay1 /speɪ/USA pronunciation   v. [~ + object]
  1. Veterinary Diseasesto remove the ovaries of (an animal):Her female cats were spayed.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
spay1 (spā),USA pronunciation v.t. [Vet. Med.]
  1. Veterinary Diseasesto remove the ovaries of (an animal).
  • Anglo-French espeïer to cut with a sword (Old French espeer), derivative of espee sword; see épée
  • late Middle English spayen 1375–1425

spay2 (spā),USA pronunciation n. 
    a three-year-old male red deer. Also called spay•ad  (spā′əd),USA pronunciation spay•ard  (spā′ərd).USA pronunciation 
    • ?
    • late Middle English 1375–1425

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
spay /speɪ/ vb
  1. (transitive) to remove the ovaries, and usually the uterus, from (a female animal)
Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French espeer to cut with the sword, from espee sword, from Latin spatha
'spay' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
alter - castrate - fix - neuter - desex - unsex

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