1. Worn out; no longer fertile or productive.
2. Weak, ineffectual.
3. Marked by decadence or self-indulgence.
4. Effeminate.
[From Latin effetus (worn out from bearing), from ex- + fetus (bearing
young).]
Today's word in Visual Thesaurus: http://visualthesaurus.com/?w1=effete
"Many people who have grown up in
socially, deeply conservative societies
have a very hard time coming to terms with the freedoms available in
liberal countries. Indeed, they take this personal liberty as a sign
of decadence, and often despise Westerners as effete and irreligious.
Unfortunately, they have no idea of the centuries of strife and struggle
that have gone into attaining this level of secularism and freedom from
the church, society, and the state."
Irfan Husain; Existential Dilemma Forced by Clash of Civilisations;
Khaleej Times (Dubai, United Arab Emirates); Dec 2, 2004.