Castrato vs. Contratenor — What's the Difference?

A castrato (Italian, plural: castrati) is a type of classical male singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto. The voice is produced by castration of the singer before puberty, or it occurs in one who, due to an endocrinological condition, never reaches sexual maturity.

(music) countertenor

A male singer castrated before puberty so as to retain a soprano or alto voice.

Counter tenor; contralto.

A male who has been castrated, especially a male whose testicles have been removed before puberty in order to retain his boyish voice.

A male soprano or alto voice produced by castration of the treble singer before puberty, intended to conserve his voice; the singer.

(literally) Castrated; especially castrated prepubescently.

Having, using or containing the voice of a castrato (noun).

Originally composed for a castrato.

A male person castrated for the purpose of improving his voice for singing; an artificial, or male, soprano.

A male singer who was castrated before puberty and retains a soprano or alto voice