effete
adjective
Affected, overrefined, or ineffectual; no longer capable of effective action; exhausted of vitality or fertility.
Etymology
From Latin effetus meaning "that has brought forth offspring, worn out by bearing," from ex- (out) + fetus (offspring, breeding).
Examples in Use
- 1.
"The effete aristocracy had lost touch with common people."
- 2.
"The once-powerful empire had grown effete and unable to defend itself."
- 3.
"Critics dismissed his work as effete and pretentious."
Related Vocabulary
Synonyms
Related Words
Fun Fact
The original meaning referred to animals that had exhausted their breeding capacity. The modern sense of weakness or overrefinement developed as a metaphor for societies past their productive prime.
Word Game Tips
Letters: 6 letters (E, F, F, E, T, E)
Scrabble Value: 12 points
Tip: The letter pattern in "EFFETE" appears in many related words.
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