effeminacy

noun

ef·​fem·​i·​na·​cy ə-ˈfe-mə-nə-sē How to pronounce effeminacy (audio)
: the quality of being effeminate

Examples of effeminacy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The researchers theorized this could be in part because of greater stigma toward effeminacy in boys than masculinity in girls. Benjamin Ryan, NBC News, 4 Oct. 2023 Other historians point to the color being linked to effeminacy. Aj Willingham, CNN, 25 June 2023 In popular and political culture, Malcolm and Martin represented not just separation and integration but hate and love, particularism and universalism, resentment and reconciliation, North and South, the street and the church, and, to King’s particular frustration, masculinity and effeminacy. Brandon M. Terry, The New York Review of Books, 11 Mar. 2021 Lace, too, was a marker not of effeminacy but of affluence and taste. Piczo, The New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2021 Brooks hated them all—not least because of the relentless bullying inflicted on him by teammates on account of his effeminacy and sensitivity. Garth Greenwell, The New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2021 As the nation seeks to make children tougher and young boys more masculine, gaming companies must avoid effeminacy and strictly regulate celebrity endorsement. Yue Wang, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2021 In both cases, the disapproval has always betrayed fears of effeminacy. Washington Post, 7 June 2019 His taste (in clothes, in food, in decor) marks him as a modern-day dandy, though his imposing frame complicates the stereotypes of effeminacy that many have come to associate with such a label. Manuel Betancourt, The Atlantic, 11 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'effeminacy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of effeminacy was in 1602

Dictionary Entries Near effeminacy

Cite this Entry

“Effeminacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effeminacy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

effeminacy

noun
ef·​fem·​i·​na·​cy ə-ˈfem-ə-nə-sē How to pronounce effeminacy (audio)
: the quality of being effeminate

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