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Glite Dictionary
pansyish demeanor

pansyish demeanor

9.9
A way of behaving that others see as weak or feminine and use to insult someone
  • noun
  • /ˈpænziɪʃ dɪˈmiːnər/
  • Slur
translation icon : actitud afeminada
  • His pansyish demeanor made him a target for bullies.

Examples

  • Despite his pansyish demeanor, he proved to be very strong and courageous under pressure.

  • His pansyish demeanor made him stand out in the group of aggressive athletes.

  • The movie was criticized for portraying the villain with a pansyish demeanor.

  • Why does he always have such a pansyish demeanor?

  • His pansyish demeanor made him appear less confident during the meeting.

  • She was often teased for her pansyish demeanor compared to her more boisterous friends.

  • Many people misinterpret his pansyish demeanor as a lack of strength.

Antonyms

guylike demeanor
8.8

A way of behaving or looking people think is typical of a man

How Effeminate

effeminateness
  • Offensive
9.9
pansyish demeanor
  • Slur
9.9

Surface Forms

pansyish demeanor singular
pansyish demeanors plural

Morphology

pansyish + demeanor

Formally the phrase is compositional: 'pansyish' is built from 'pansy' + the suffix '-ish' and 'demeanor' means behavior, so the denotation 'behavior like a pansy' (i.e. weak/effeminate) is derivable from the parts. However, the pejorative/slang sense of 'pansy' and its pragmatic/offensive connotations are culture-specific and may not be known or predictable to a B1 learner, so full understanding requires extra sociolinguistic knowledge.

Etymology

Pansyish demeanor comes from comparing a person to the pansy flower and so describing their demeanor as delicate. Because of that image, the phrase came to mean a manner people see as 'weak' or 'effeminate', and it is often used as an insult.