effete

ef·fete

adjective \e-ˈfēt, i-\

Definition of EFFETE

1

: no longer fertile

2

a : having lost character, vitality, or strength <the effete monarchies … of feudal Europe — G. M. Trevelyan>

b : marked by weakness or decadence <the effete East>

c : soft or delicate from or as if from a pampered existence <peddled … trendy tweeds to effete Easterners — William Helmer> <effete tenderfeet>; also : characteristic of an effete person <a wool scarf … a bit effete on an outdoorsman — Nelson Bryant>

3

: effeminate 1 <a good-humored, effete boy brought up by maiden aunts — Herman Wouk>

— ef·fete·ly adverb

— ef·fete·ness noun

Examples of EFFETE

1. effete members of the aristocracy
2. <the soft, effete society that marked the final years of the Roman empire>

Origin of EFFETE

Latin effetus, from ex- + fetus fruitful — more at feminine

First Known Use: 1660

Related to EFFETE

Synonyms

decadent, decayed, degenerate, overripe, washed-up

Antonyms

undecadent

Related Words

effeminate, overrefined, precious; decaying, declining, dying, failing, waning; debilitated, enervate, enervated, enfeebled, feeble, frail, languid, sapped, soft, wasted, weak, weakened, wimpy; dissolute, immoral; debased, debauched, degraded, demoralized, depraved, dissipated, dissolute

Near Antonyms

able-bodied, athletic, beefy, brawny, fit, husky, muscular, sinewy, strapping, virile; hard, hardy, lusty, red-blooded, robust, sturdy, tough; fortified, hardened, inured, strengthened, toughened; energetic, energized, invigorated, vigorous, vitalized; hale, healthy, sound; capable, competent; convalescing, recovering, recuperating

Rhymes with EFFETE

accrete, aesthete, afreet, athlete, backbeat, backseat, backstreet, bedsheet, bench seat, big beat, bolete, box pleat, box seat, break beat, broadsheet, browbeat, buckwheat, bystreet, call sheet, car seat, cheat sheet, clipsheet, cloud street, cold feet, compete, compleat, complete, conceit, concrete, crabmeat, crib sheet, deadbeat, dead heat, dead meat, deceit, defeat, delete, deplete, discreet, discrete, disseat, downbeat, drop seat, drumbeat, dutch treat, elite, en suite, entreat, escheat, excrete, facete, Fleet Street, fly sheet, forcemeat, foresheet, four-peat, gamete, groundsheet, hard wheat, heartbeat, heat-treat, helpmeet, hoofbeat, hot seat, house seat, ice sheet, ill-treat, jump seat, kick pleat, love seat, mainsheet, Main Street, maltreat, mesquite, mincemeat, mistreat, offbeat, Ossete, petite, pink sheet, preheat, rap sheet, receipt, recheat, red heat, red meat, red wheat, regreet, repeat, replete, retreat, scratch sheet, secrete, side street, slip-sheet, soft wheat, spreadsheet, stand treat, swap meet, sweetmeat, tear sheet, terete, three-peat, through street, time sheet, unmeet, unseat, upbeat, vegete, volkslied, white heat