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effeminate definition

ef·femi·nate (e fem′ə nit, i-)

adjective

  1. having the qualities generally attributed to women, as weakness, timidity, delicacy, etc.; unmanly; not virile
  2. characterized by such qualities; weak; soft, decadent, etc. effeminate art

Etymology: ME effeminat < L effeminatus pp. of effeminare, to make womanish < ex-, out + femina, a woman: see female

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

effeminate Synonyms

effeminate

modif.

unmanly, womanish, emasculate, epicene; see feminine 2. See syn. study at female.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

effeminate Usage Examples

Preposition: in

  • appearance: In his human form, Tarou wears a scaled vest and bracers and earrings, and is extremely effeminate in appearance.

Modifies a noun

  • man: Many women prefer the handsome middle aged man he is today, to the young, slightly effeminate man he was.

Modifying Another Word

  • slightly: Many women prefer the handsome middle aged man he is today, to the young, slightly effeminate man he was.

Used with adjective complement

  • look: I must admit that to my eye ' John ' does look very effeminate.
effeminate usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

effeminate quotes

He held curls to be effeminate, and his own filled his life with bitterness.

-Twain, Mark pseudonym of  Samuel Langhorne Clemens

effeminate quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"effeminate." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/effeminate>

APA Style

effeminate. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/effeminate

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