effete
4
9.9
- adjective
- /ɪˈfiːt/
- Offensive
- When I was a kid, our Philly working-class neighborhood was invaded by an effete left-wing sociologist author pretending to be an Episcopal missionary.
Examples
-
His success as an actor and as breadwinner is actually impeded by the effete culture of off-Broadway.
Fiction book (1994) -
Raymond is a sports-obsessed, beer-swilling actor, and Donnie is a more effete literature professor.
Blog text (31) -
But this sounds at once too worthy and too effete.
Fiction book (1994) -
An effete British superhero, to be precise.
-
Buckley was kind of an effete guy.
-
I read it to understand what the East Coast effete elites think, not for news.
Blog text (32) -
I used to read some of the more effete car magazines, the ones that cover F1.
Blog text (29) -
I am fairly timid by nature and a natural victim, my own body being more suited to an effete academic.
Fiction book (1994) -
As a result, humanistic now means arty—in other words, refined, cultivated, and effete.
Academic text (1990) -
His effete behavior at the gym made others question his commitment to fitness.
Synonyms
15
7.5
A male who looks or acts like a woman
9
7.5
Feeling less strong or less like a man
4
6.8
Not showing the strength or courage people expect from men
Antonyms
How Affected
Surface Forms
Etymology
Effete also took on the idea of being too delicate or soft because the old sense was 'drained' of strength. That's why effete can describe a person or style that seems overly refined and lacking in traditional strength.