From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englisheffeteef‧fete /ɪˈfiːt $ e-/ adjective formal 1 WEAKweak and powerless in a way that you dislike effete intellectuals2 WOMANan effete man looks or behaves like a woman SYN effeminate
Examples from the Corpus
effete• Could one call it decadent or effete?• He studied the Gascon's dark effete face and the jewel-encrusted pearl which swung arrogantly from one ear lobe.• the effete intellectuals in New York society• If there were ever an illustration of an effete ruling elite, it is this.• That's what these square, effete types did, I eventually figured: they listened to Bartok and bathed a lot.Origin effete (1600-1700) Latin effetus, from fetus “producing young” 