Chiefly derogatory. Of a person: resembling a woman in appearance or behaviour; feminine; effeminate.

Characteristic or suggestive of a woman; womanish; womanly.

= feminine, adj. (in various senses).

In a neutral or positive sense. Characteristic of or appropriate to a woman as opposed to a man; feminine, womanly. Also occasionally: denoting the…

Resembling a woman; feminine; (of a man) effeminate.

Pampered; feeble, delicate, esp. affectedly so; lacking strength of character; undisciplined. Obsolete.

Chiefly depreciative. Of a man's qualities, actions, or appearance: characteristic of or befitting a woman. Of a man: possessing or exhibiting…

Originally (chiefly depreciative): designating a man who is effeminate or who has a feminine appearance; (later also) designating a masculine or…

Effeminate; feminine.

Of or relating to a petit maître.

Effeminate.

having the form or characters of a female.

Originally: combining elements of masculinity and femininity, esp. (in early use) in a manner considered appropriate to women but deprecated in…

Girly, esp. in an exaggerated or affected manner. Frequently depreciative.

Of a man: effeminate. Of a thing: effete, artificial; fussily over-elaborated. Also in extended use.

Shaky, unsteady; feeble, effeminate.

colloquial (usually derogatory and offensive). Effeminate, sissyish. Also occasionally, of a man: homosexual. Now rare.

Reminiscent, suggestive, or characteristic of a queen (queen, n. 13); (of a man) effeminate, esp. ostentatiously so; camp. Also (occasionally) as adv.…

derogatory. Of a man's actions, qualities, etc.: befitting or characteristic of a woman (as perceived as inferior to a man); weak, petty; inferior…

Dressed in an affected or effeminate manner. Also figurative.

Effeminate; weak; cowardly.

Weak, ineffectual; effeminate. Cf. wimpy, adj.

figurative. Of persons in an intellectual sense, of systems, etc.: That has exhausted its vigour and energy; incapable of efficient action. Also…