What does "effeminate" mean?
Effeminate: Womanlike; womanly; tender; -- in a good sense. Gentle, kind, effeminate remorse. Shak. Note: Effeminate and womanish are generally used in a reproachful sense; feminine and womanly, applied to women, are epithets of propriety or commendation.
Additional senses
- 2.To make womanish; to make soft and delicate; to weaken. It will not corrupt or effeminate children's minds. Locke.
- 3.To grow womanish or weak. In a slothful peace both courage will effeminate and manners corrupt. Pope.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00