effeminate

effeminate Definition

ef·femi·nate (e fem′ə nit, i-)

adjective

having the qualities generally attributed to women, as weakness, timidity, delicacy, etc.; unmanly; not virile
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

effeminate Related Forms

ef·fem′i·nately adverb

effeminate Synonyms

modif.

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.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

Modifies a noun

man: Many women prefer the handsome middle aged man he is today, to the young, slightly effeminate man he was.
manner: The national service tailor in our wing tailor shop had a rather effeminate manner.
boy: But he was well cast as Paris, this role called for this type of effeminate spoiled boy.
appearance: Looking at them, people tend to be struck by their oddly effeminate appearance.

Modifying Another Word

slightly: Many women prefer the handsome middle aged man he is today, to the young, slightly effeminate man he was.
rather: The national service tailor in our wing tailor shop had a rather effeminate manner.
very: I must admit that to my eye ' John ' does look very effeminate.
extremely: In his human form, Tarou wears a scaled vest and bracers and earrings, and is extremely effeminate in appearance.

Used with adjective complement

look: I must admit that to my eye ' John ' does look very effeminate.
seem: In the past this has made Alex wonder whether he seems effeminate to black men or just to Marvin in particular.

effeminate Quotes

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

—Twain, Mark pseudonym of Samuel Langhorne Clemens

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