English
effeminate
Effeminate comes from Latin effēminātus ‘weakened, enervated’, from fēmina ‘woman’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- ‘to suckle, nurse’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁(y)-‘to suckle, nurse’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁-m̥h₁n-éh₂‘the one nursing, breastfeeding’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θēmanāreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fēmanāreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfēmina‘woman’next step skipped: Latin effēminō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEeffēminātus‘weakened, enervated’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500effeminat
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1593effeminate
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁(y)-‘to suckle, nurse’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁-m̥h₁n-éh₂‘the one nursing, breastfeeding’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θēmanāreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fēmanāreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfēmina‘woman’next step skipped: Latin effēminō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEeffēminātus‘weakened, enervated’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500effeminat
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1593effeminate
Earliest quotation: c. 1593, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]: “Gentle, kind, effeminate remorse.”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- ‘to suckle, nurse’
doe, tyre, fetus, dai, felicity, fawn, filial, fellatio, fecundity, dahi, 30 more
through Latin fēmina ‘woman’
female, feminist, feminine, feminism, femme, femininity, 9 more
Today it means
adj Of a boy or man, exhibiting behavior or mannerisms considered typical of a woman or unmasculine.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- / effeminate