January 22 2016
Quote of the Day
“Inside every sane person there’s a madman struggling to get out.” –The Light Fantastic
Terry Pratchett
Word of the Day
effete
pron \ih-FEET\
adjective
Definition
no
longer fertile
having
lost character, vitality, or strength
marked
by weakness or decadence
soft
or delicate from or as if from a pampered existence
having
feminine qualities untypical of a man : not manly in appearance or manner
Examples
The authority of an effete aristocracy began to dwindle.
Effete
derives from Latin effetus, meaning "no longer fruitful," and for a
brief time in English it was used to describe an animal no longer capable of
producing offspring. For most of its existence in English, however, the use of
effete has been entirely figurative. The usual figurative sense of the word was
for many years "exhausted" or "worn out." But since at
least the beginning of the 20th century, effete has also been used to suggest
overrefinement, weakness of character, snobbery, and effeminacy. It's these
meanings you're most likely to encounter today.
Unscramble
the letters to create a synonym of effete: ANTREEEV.
Merriman Webster
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