# wether

/wˈɛðɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wether
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. castrated sheep or goat

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a male sheep or goat that has had its sex organs removed.

For teachers: a castrated male sheep or goat, typically one castrated before reaching sexual maturity.

- The farmer separated the wethers from the rest of the flock for the winter.
- The shepherd noted that the wethers were generally more docile and easier to manage during the seasonal migration than the intact rams.

Usage: The term is primarily used in livestock management and agricultural literature.

### 2. to castrate

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to remove the sex organs of a male sheep or goat.

For teachers: to castrate a male sheep or goat.

- They decided to wether the young males to keep the herd calm.
- Agricultural best practices suggest that if a farmer intends to wether their livestock, the procedure should be performed early in the animal's life.

## Examples

- The farmer kept the wether in a separate pen.
- In the old farm records, the shepherd noted that the wether was healthy and ready for the winter grazing.
- The poet used the image of the wether to symbolize a life of quiet labor and domestic contentment, contrasting it with the wild freedom of the uncastrated ram.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.