effete

adj.

1. Depleted of vitality, force, or effectiveness; exhausted: the final, effete period of the baroque style.
2. Marked by self-indulgence, triviality, or decadence: an effete group of self-professed intellectuals.
3. Overrefined; effeminate.
4. No longer productive; infertile.

[Latin effētus, worn out, exhausted : ex-, ex- + fētus, bearing young, pregnant.]

effetely ef·fete'ly adv.
effeteness ef·fete'ness n.

(i-FEET)

adjective
1. Worn out; no longer fertile or productive.
2. Weak, ineffectual.
3. Marked by decadence or self-indulgence.
4. Effeminate.

Etymology
From Latin effetus (worn out from bearing), from ex- + fetus (bearing young)

Usage
"Many people who have grown up in socially, deeply conservative societies have a very hard time coming to terms with the freedoms available in liberal countries. Indeed, they take this personal liberty as a sign of decadence, and often despise Westerners as effete and irreligious. Unfortunately, they have no idea of the centuries of strife and struggle that have gone into attaining this level of secularism and freedom from the church, society, and the state." — Irfan Husain; Existential Dilemma Forced by Clash of Civilisations; Khaleej Times (Dubai, United Arab Emirates); Dec 2, 2004.

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Academy Awards show host Jon Stewart had a laugh at the expense of two unsuccessful Best Picture contenders, Brokeback Mountain and Capote:

"Stewart said 'Capote' was groundbreaking because it 'showed America that not all gay people are virile cowboys. Some are actually effete New York intellectuals.'"

Link: Oscar's highs and lows

Posted March 7, 2006.

See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words.

adj

Definition: spoiled, exhausted
Antonyms: capable, tireless

adj

Definition: unproductive
Antonyms: productive, useful, working

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IN BRIEF: adj. - No longer possessing a unique quality.

Without proper care, the aged grape vine gradually became effete and no longer bore fruit.

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - svag, kraftløs, udpint

Nederlands (Dutch)
slap, steriel, verwijfd

Français (French)
adj. - mou (une personne), veule, affaibli (un gouvernement), décadent (une civilisation), (devenu) inefficace/stérile (une méthode)

Deutsch (German)
adj. - schwach

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - ξεπεσμένος, παρηκμασμένος

Italiano (Italian)
fiacco, effeminato

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - estéril, cansado

Русский (Russian)
расслабленный, изнеженный, выродившийся, дегенеративный

Español (Spanish)
adj. - débil, cansado, agotado, incapaz

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - kraftlös, utsliten, steril (om djur)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
筋疲力尽的, 衰微的, 疲惫的

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 筋疲力盡的, 衰微的, 疲憊的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 무력해진, 생산력이 없는

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 精力の尽きた, 志を忘れた, 柔弱な, 再生産力のない

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) عقيم, عاجز‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮חלש, מנוון, בלה, תשוש‬

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