effete
Americanadjective
-
lacking in wholesome vigor; degenerate; decadent.
an effete, overrefined society.
-
exhausted of vigor or energy; worn out.
an effete political force.
- Synonyms:
- enervated
-
unable to produce; sterile.
adjective
-
weak, ineffectual, or decadent as a result of overrefinement
an effete academic
-
exhausted of vitality or strength; worn out; spent
-
(of animals or plants) no longer capable of reproduction
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of effete
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin effēta “exhausted from bearing,” equivalent to ef- “from, out of” ( see ef-) + fēta “having brought forth,” feminine past participle of lost verb; see fetus
Explanation
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. Coming from the Latin effetus "out of, past childbearing," effete meant "exhausted, spent" long before it acquired the sense of morally exhausted and overly refined. This is the main use of the word today. Do you ever wonder why some effete party girls are considered celebrities? Star athletes run the risk of losing their edge and becoming effete posterboys for their sports.
Vocabulary lists containing effete
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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.
Mostly that has meant pretending to be a Real American by riding horses, going hunting or driving around in a pick-up to prove they aren’t some effete city slicker.
From Salon • Nov. 23, 2025
Marie Antoinette would be executed in October of the same year; French fashion influence was a sign of an effete aristocracy that was potentially losing its grip.
From Slate • Jul. 21, 2025
“I’ll go after him for being ‘this effete knower of arcane knowledge, who knows little tidbits that no one would care about.’
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 27, 2023
They dive into the players’ sensibilities and seem to understand that being weird, effete or ambivalent might be part of these athletes’ power.
From New York Times • Jun. 28, 2022
Frasier considers Abstract Expressionism a tired, effete art form.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
