Effeminacy
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 The quality of being effeminate. countable, uncountable
"It is an argument that cannot proceed but from a low Iudgment, or a ſpirit ſoothed with its owne Effeminaty, to ſay, He is Noble, he is a Courtier, he is a man of State, His quality tyeth him not to perfection, His vertue must be meaſured by the ell of the world, If he were ouer vertuous, the exceſſe of his Sanctity would be preiudiciall to his fortune."
- 2 the trait of being effeminate (derogatory of a man) wordnet
Example
More examples"It is an argument that cannot proceed but from a low Iudgment, or a ſpirit ſoothed with its owne Effeminaty, to ſay, He is Noble, he is a Courtier, he is a man of State, His quality tyeth him not to perfection, His vertue must be meaſured by the ell of the world, If he were ouer vertuous, the exceſſe of his Sanctity would be preiudiciall to his fortune."
Etymology
From effeminate + -cy.
More for "effeminacy"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.