Present participle of castrate; the act of removing reproductive organs, or metaphorically, weakening or emasculating someone.
From Latin 'castrare' (to castrate) plus the present participle suffix '-ing', used both literally for the surgical procedure and figuratively for psychological harm.
The metaphorical use of 'castrating' in psychology emerged in the early 1900s, reflecting Freudian theories about masculinity—but the figurative meaning was already present in Shakespeare's time as a term for humiliation.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.