to effeminize

9.9

To make someone seem more like a woman in appearance and behavior

verb
/ɪˈfɛmɪnaɪz/

: efeminizar

Changing his hairstyle to a longer, more flowing style might effeminize his image.

Examples

The fashion trends of the time seemed to effeminize the men in the community.
Some critics argued that the movie's portrayal would effeminize its male characters.
It could be a way of emasculating Jesus or effeminizing him.

Blog text (2)
Others saw dueling as a means of maintaining courage as a virtue amidst the spread of an effeminizing luxury.

Academic text (2009)
Passion was prone to unsettle the orthodox schema of hierarchical obedience through its effeminizing influence.

Academic text (2002)

Synonyms

to feminize

vsto effeminize

3 7.2

To make a person or thing more like a woman

emphasizes reducing masculine traits rather than only adding feminine ones

to demasculinize

vsto effeminize

1 8.8

Make a person or place less masculine

adds feminine qualities rather than only removing masculine traits

to womanize

vsto effeminize

Archaic

9.6

To give a more feminine style to a person or thing

focuses on making someone seem less masculine rather than just womanly

Antonyms

to masculinize

8.8

To give a person or thing a more male appearance

How Feminine

to effeminize

9.9

to feminize

3 7.2

to soften

50 3.1

Surface Forms

effeminize infinitive

effeminized past

effeminized past participle

effeminizing present participle

effeminizes third person singular

Morphology

effeminize = effeminate (transparent) = effeminate + ize

The verb is a regular productive formation from the adjective 'effeminate' with the common verb-forming suffix '-ize' meaning 'to make or become'.

Etymology

The word effeminize comes from the Latin root femina 'woman' plus the ending -ize 'to make', and it is the same root as female and feminine. So to effeminize someone is to 'make' them more like a woman or more 'feminine', which is why the word means giving a person a more feminine look or quality.