effete

英 [?'fi?t] 美[?'fit]

近義詞worthless

GRE暢通詞匯

effete 軟弱的，女人氣的

ef-, 向外。-fet, 嬰兒，詞源同fetus, female. 原義為剛生完孩子的，引申義虛弱的，軟弱的。

effete: effete: [17] Latin effētus meant literally ‘that has given birth’. It was a compound adjective, based on the prefix ex- ‘out’ and fētus ‘childbearing, offspring’ (source of English foetus). Its use spread metaphorically first to ‘worn out by giving birth’ and finally to simply ‘exhausted’, the senses in which English originally acquired it. The word’s modern connotations of ‘overrefinement’ and ‘decadence’ did not develop until the 19th century.
effete (adj.): 1620s, "functionless as a result of age or exhaustion," from Latin effetus (usually in fem. effeta) "exhausted, unproductive, worn out (with bearing offspring), past bearing," literally "that has given birth," from a lost verb, *efferi, from ex- "out" (see ex-) + fetus "childbearing, offspring" (see fetus). Figurative use is earliest in English; literal use is rare. Sense of "intellectually or morally exhausted" (1790) led to that of "decadent, effeminate" (by 1850s).

2. The absurd and backward - looking notion of locating a research centre in an effete , rundown, has - been country.: 把研究中心設(shè)在一個(gè)蒼老、衰退、過了時(shí)的國家,純屬愚蠢,開倒車的想法.

3. During the ages, Greek civilization declined and became effete.: 在中世紀(jì)期間, 希臘文明開始衰落直至衰敗.

4. During the middle ages, Greek civilization declined and became effete.: 希臘文明在中世紀(jì)衰敗并變得沒落.

5. TYPICAL USE : Duing the middle ages, Greek civilization declined and effete.: 中世紀(jì)期間.希臘文明衰微且枯竭.