EFFETE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does effete mean? 

• EFFETE (adjective)
  The adjective EFFETE has 2 senses:

1. affected, overrefined, and effeminate

2. deprived of vigor and the ability to be effective

  Familiarity information: EFFETE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EFFETE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Affected, overrefined, and effeminate

Context example:

the young man spoke in effete, accented English

Similar:

refined ((used of persons and their behavior) cultivated and genteel)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Deprived of vigor and the ability to be effective

Context example:

fundamentalism has flowered because it has concluded that liberalism is effete, ineffectual and impoverished

Similar:

impotent (lacking power or ability)

 Context examples 

Such rupture serves to digest exogenous material, such as bacteria, as well as effete organelles of the cells and is supposed to be under metabolic (hormonal) control.

(Lysosome, NCI Thesaurus)