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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

effeminate en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • /ɪˈfɛmɪnət/
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

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

Meanings

  1. (derogatory, often) Of a boy or man, exhibiting behavior or mannerisms considered typical of a woman or unmasculine.
    • 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. 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XI, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 125:
    • An effeminate and unmanly foppery. 1759, Richard Hurd, Moral and Political Dialogues:
  2. (obsolete) Womanly; tender, affectionate, caring.
    • Gentle, kind, effeminate remorse. c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene vii]:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
effœminat alternative, obsolete lexicographic
effœminate alternative, obsolete lexicographic
effeminat alternative, obsolete lexicographic
most effeminate Degree=Sup lexicographic
more effeminate Degree=Cmp lexicographic
effæminate alternative, obsolete lexicographic

Antonyms

noneffeminate · uneffeminate · non-effeminate

Deriveds

effeminist · effeminateness · effeminately

Synonyms

unmanly · feminine · swish · epicene · camp · effete

Translations (113)

pl zbabiały (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt paneleiro (of a man, behaving like a woman) · nb feminin (of a man, behaving like a woman) · es afeminado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · cy merchetaidd (of a man, behaving like a woman) · gv benoil (of a man, behaving like a woman) · ga piteogach (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt maricas (of a man, behaving like a woman) · de weibisch (of a man, behaving like a woman) · eo ineca (of a man, behaving like a woman) · uk жонови́дий (of a man, behaving like a woman) · it effemminato (of a man, behaving like a woman) · no umandig (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt mulherengo (of a man, behaving like a woman) · cop ⲙⲁⲗⲁⲕⲟⲥ (of a man, behaving like a woman) · ga piteánta (of a man, behaving like a woman) · el θηλυπρεπής (of a man, behaving like a woman) · hi स्त्रैण (of a man, behaving like a woman) · id banci (of a man, behaving like a woman) · yue 乸型 (of a man, behaving like a woman) · ru женоподо́бный (of a man, behaving like a woman) · cmn 女人氣 /女人气 (of a man, behaving like a woman) · nb fjollete (of a man, behaving like a woman) · bg женствен (of a man, behaving like a woman) · ar مُخَنَّث (of a man, behaving like a woman) · ka ქალური (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pl babski (of a man, behaving like a woman) · es ahembrado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · cs zženštilý (of a man, behaving like a woman) · sd جويو (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt amulherado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pl zniewieściały (of a man, behaving like a woman) · no bløtaktig (of a man, behaving like a woman) · gl afeminado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt afemeado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · es amanerado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · fa امرد (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt adamado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · hy կնաբարո (of a man, behaving like a woman) · nl verwijfd (of a man, behaving like a woman) · bcl babayinhon (of a man, behaving like a woman) · fi epämiehekäs (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt larilas (of a man, behaving like a woman) · ca efeminat (of a man, behaving like a woman) · ro afemeiat (of a man, behaving like a woman) · kmr nemêr (of a man, behaving like a woman) · ka მანერული (of a man, behaving like a woman) · gu બાયલો (of a man, behaving like a woman) · gv bwoirrin (of a man, behaving like a woman) · no jentete (of a man, behaving like a woman) · uk жінкуватий (of a man, behaving like a woman) · no kvinneaktig (of a man, behaving like a woman) · sk zoženštený (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt amulherengado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · tr yumuşak (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt afeminado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · fr efféminé (of a man, behaving like a woman) · de verweiblicht (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt panilas (of a man, behaving like a woman) · grc γυναικώδης (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pa زَنانہ (of a man, behaving like a woman) · gv dendeaysagh (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pl wydelikacony (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt apaneleirado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · fi naismainen (of a man, behaving like a woman) · mk женствен (of a man, behaving like a woman) · ko 유약 (of a man, behaving like a woman) · tl binabae (of a man, behaving like a woman) · am ሴታ ሴት (of a man, behaving like a woman) · tr efemine (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt bicha (of a man, behaving like a woman) · no kvinnelig (of a man, behaving like a woman) · no jenteaktig (of a man, behaving like a woman) · de verweichlicht (of a man, behaving like a woman) · fr efféminée (of a man, behaving like a woman) · la perfluus (of a man, behaving like a woman) · es amujerado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · gv soailtagh (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt mulheril (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt amaricado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · grc μαλακός (of a man, behaving like a woman) · de effeminiert (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pa ਜ਼ਨਾਨਾ (of a man, behaving like a woman) · ca afemellat (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt abichanado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · nn feminin (of a man, behaving like a woman) · eo virineca (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt mariconço (of a man, behaving like a woman) · no femi (of a man, behaving like a woman) · id kemayu (of a man, behaving like a woman) · fi feminiininen (of a man, behaving like a woman) · uz xotinchalish (of a man, behaving like a woman) · ja 女々しい (of a man, behaving like a woman) · es mujeril (of a man, behaving like a woman) · gd boireannta (of a man, behaving like a woman) · ga baineann (of a man, behaving like a woman) · cmn 娘娘腔 (of a man, behaving like a woman) · kmr serejin (of a man, behaving like a woman) · es adamado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · de tuntig (of a man, behaving like a woman) · sv fjollig (of a man, behaving like a woman) · rup muljirashcu (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt dengoso (of a man, behaving like a woman) · uz xezalak (of a man, behaving like a woman) · es amariconado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt efeminado (of a man, behaving like a woman) · ga baineanda (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt inviril (of a man, behaving like a woman) · hy ղզիկ (of a man, behaving like a woman) · pt enerve (of a man, behaving like a woman) · da kvindagtig (of a man, behaving like a woman) · az arvadxasiyyət (of a man, behaving like a woman) · la ēvirātus (of a man, behaving like a woman)

effeminate en · NOUN

Etymology

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

Meanings

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

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
effeminat alternative, obsolete lexicographic
effæminate alternative, obsolete lexicographic
effeminates Number=Plur lexicographic
effœminat alternative, obsolete lexicographic
effœminate alternative, obsolete lexicographic

Relateds

effeminacy

effeminate en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ɪˈfɛmɪneɪt/

Etymology

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

Meanings

  1. (archaic, nonstandard, transitive) To make womanly; to unman.
    • It will not corrupt or effeminate their [children's] minds. 1693, [John Locke], “§106”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC:
    • 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? 2003 April 13, AlannahLouis, “Thoughts on #308 - THREE GAYS OF THE CONDO”, in alt.tv.simpsons (Usenet):
    • the studie of sciences doth more weaken and effeminate mens minds, than corroborate and adapt them to warre. , Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.134
  2. (intransitive) To become womanly.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
effeminates Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
effeminated Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
effeminated Tense=Past lexicographic
effæminate alternative, obsolete lexicographic
effœminat alternative, obsolete lexicographic
effeminat alternative, obsolete lexicographic
effeminating Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
effœminate alternative, obsolete lexicographic

Antonyms

immasculate