EFFEMINATE


Meaning of EFFEMINATE in English

ef ‧ fem ‧ i ‧ nate /ɪˈfemənət, ɪˈfemɪnət/ BrE AmE adjective

[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: effeminatus , from femina 'woman' ]

a man who is effeminate looks or behaves like a woman

—effeminately adverb

—effeminacy noun [uncountable]

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THESAURUS

■ relating to women

▪ female relating to women or girls:

female voters

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Advertisers try to sell things by using images of the female body.

▪ feminine used about qualities that are considered to be typical of women:

You must not cry or show any other feminine weakness.

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the ideal of feminine beauty

▪ womanly behaving, dressing etc in a way that is thought to be typical of or suitable for a woman – used to show approval:

her womanly figure

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the womanly virtues of compassion and patience

▪ girly/girlie informal behaving or dressing in a way that is thought to be typical of young girls, or suitable for a girl – often used disapprovingly:

Stop being so girly! It's only a mouse!

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a very girlie pink dress

▪ effeminate disapproving a man who is effeminate looks or behaves like a woman:

His long blonde hair made him look rather effeminate.

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a pale effeminate-looking young man

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.