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English

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Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English effeminat, effemynat, from Latin effēminātus, past participle of effēminō, from fēmina (“woman”).

Pronunciation

Adjective

effeminate (comparative more effeminate, superlative most effeminate)

  1. (often derogatory, of a man or boy) Exhibiting behaviour or mannerisms considered typical of a female; unmasculine.
    • 1759, Richard Hurd, Moral and Political Dialogues:
      An effeminate and unmanly foppery.
    • 1834, L E L, chapter XI, in Francesca Carrara. , volume I, London: Richard Bentley, , (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 125:
      The Comte d'Artois had neither the dignified nor the manly air of his brother—he rather appeared like a pretty-looking girl, so effeminate was he and fair.
  2. (obsolete) Womanly; tender, affectionate, caring.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

effeminate (third-person singular simple present effeminates, present participle effeminating, simple past and past participle effeminated)

  1. (transitive, archaic or nonstandard) To make womanly; to unman.
    • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, translated by John Florio, The Essayes , London: Val Simmes for Edward Blount , →OCLC:
      , Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.134:
      the studie of sciences doth more weaken and effeminate mens minds, than corroborate and adapt them to warre.
    • 1693, [John Locke], “§106”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: A and J Churchill, , →OCLC:
      It will not corrupt or effeminate their [children's] minds.
    • 2003 April 13, AlannahLouis, “Thoughts on #308 - THREE GAYS OF THE CONDO”, in alt.tv.simpsons‎ (Usenet):
      I mean the represenstation of gay men on The Simpsons is getting more one-dimensional. For several years Smithers was quite masculine, yet the writers have effeminated him gradually (collecting Barbies, for instance), now he's rollerblading down the street with rainbow hotpants on?
  2. (intransitive) To become womanly.

Antonyms

Noun

effeminate (plural effeminates)

  1. An effeminate person.
    • 1976, Psychiatry, volumes 39-40, page 246:
      The effeminates are males with obviously recognizable traits and mannerisms; […]

Italian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ef.fe.miˈna.te/
  • Rhymes: -ate
  • Hyphenation: ef‧fe‧mi‧nà‧te

Adjective

effeminate

  1. feminine plural of effeminato

Participle

effeminate

  1. feminine plural of effeminato

Verb

effeminate

  1. inflection of effeminare:
    1. second-person plural present indicative
    2. second-person plural imperative

Latin

Verb

effēmināte

  1. second-person plural present active imperative of effēminō

References

  • “effeminate”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • “effeminate”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • effeminate in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
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