spay

present singular third person spays · participle present spaying · participle past spayed · past spayed · obsolete participle past spade · obsolete past spade · alternative spaie · alternative archaic spave · alternative spaye · alternative spey

1. transitiveTo destroy or remove the ovaries or uterus (of a female animal) to prevent pregnancy.

   We’re having our cat spayed as we don’t want her having kittens.

   1 more example

   With their eye on non-island countries, namely America, the authors of Cat Wars argue for a combination of spay/neuter programs, enclosed sanctuaries, and euthanasia.

   2016 November 13, Britt Peterson, “The Case Against Cats”, in The Atlantic

   Synonyms: splay, castrate, emasculate, geld, neuter, sterilize

plural spays · alternative spaie · alternative archaic spave · alternative spaye · alternative spey

1. The act of spaying an animal.

   I was queasy about my first spay of a far-gone feral and left it up to my vet.

   1997 July 28, Sharon Talbert, “spay/abortion of pregnant cats”, in rec.pets.cat.rescue (Usenet)

plural spays

1. rareRare form of spayard.

present singular third person spays · participle present spaying · participle past spayed · past spayed

1. alternativeAlternative form of spae (to foretell or divine)