effeminacy
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of effeminacy
First recorded in 1595–1605; effemin(ate) + -acy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Dandyism’s persistent associations with criminality, effeminacy and homosexuality would achieve notoriety in Oscar Wilde’s 1895 trials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 15, 2026
This was defined by a cultivated or performed effeminacy, including make-up, falsetto, and the use of "camp names" and female pronouns.
From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2022
With Abe and his effeminacy, Chabon is all patience.
From Slate ● May 17, 2018
Perhaps most frustrating were those adjectives that couched Wolf’s perceived effeminacy – his “flamboyance” – as a marketable quirk.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 11, 2018
These rude encounters were little in harmony with the elegance and effeminacy of the French court.
From Wild Spain (Espa?a agreste) Records of Sport with Rifle, Rod, and Gun, Natural History Exploration by Walter J. Buck
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
