(of a person) affected, over-refined, and ineffectual (人)矫揉造作的,无用的 effete trendies from art college. 艺术学院的做作无用的赶时髦的人。 ■no longer capable of effective action 衰弱的,无能的 the authority of an effete aristocracy began to dwindle. 没落贵族的权力开始减弱。
派生 effeteness noun 语源
early 17th cent. (in the sense 'no longer fertile, past bearing young'): from Latin effetus 'worn out by bearing young', from ex- 'out' + fetus 'breeding'; related to fetus