Where does “effeminately” come from?
effeminately (English) comes from English effeminate, from Latin effeminatus, from Latin effemino, from Latin femina, from Proto-Italic fēmanā, from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁-m̥n-eh₂, from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁(y)- — to suckle, nurse.
effeminately (English): In an effeminate manner
Ancestry of “effeminately”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | effeminate | Exhibiting behaviour or mannerisms considered... |
| 2 | Latin | effeminatus | weakened, enervated; emasculated |
| 3 | Latin | effemino | I weaken or enervate; I make feminine or... |
| 4 | Latin | femina | woman; wife; female |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | fēmanā | woman |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰeh₁-m̥n-eh₂ | who sucks; one who is sucked; one who suckles;... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰeh₁(y)- | to suckle, nurse |