Effete derives from Latin effetus, meaning "no longer fruitful," and for a brief time in English it was used to describe an animal no longer capable of producing offspring. For most of its existence in English, however, the use of "effete" has been entirely figurative.

effete - marked by excessive self-indulgence and moral decay; "a decadent life of excessive money and no sense of responsibility"; "a group of effete self-professed intellectuals"

See examples of EFFETE used in a sentence.

Effete is a disapproving term meaning decadent and self-indulgent, even useless. The stereotype of the rugged Westerner is just as false as the one of the effete East Coast liberal. The origin of the word effete is a little unexpected.

EFFETE definition: 1. weak and without much power: 2. more typical of a woman than of a man 3. weak and without much…. Learn more.

EFFETE definition: weak , ineffectual , or decadent as a result of overrefinement | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples

2025年1月2日 · effete (comparative more effete, superlative most effete) (obsolete, of substances, quantities etc) exhausted, spent, worn-out. Synonyms: low, used up; see also Thesaurus: depleted

If you describe someone as effete, you are criticizing them for being weak and powerless.

Effete is an adjective describing something as feminine or effeminate. An alternative definition is for something to lack effectiveness, to not have strength or bravery or to be unable to act. Its derivatives include effetely and effeteness.

EFFETE meaning: 1 : lacking strength, courage, or spirit; 2 : resembling a woman effeminate