2 syllables: Ef, fete. Stress on fete.
ef-EET
/ɛˈfit/
Effete is pronounced ef-EET (/ɛˈfit/). It has two syllables (Ef-fete), with the stress on "fete". Effete is an adjective describing someone or something lacking in vitality, spirit, or strength; effeminate or pretentiously refined. It often conveys a sense of weakness, decadence, or ineffectiveness. The term is formal and slightly archaic, frequently used in critical or descriptive prose to signal a jaded or exhausted modern condition. In context, it may refer to institutions, systems, or individuals that seem exhausted or ineffectual.
adjectiveEffete is an adjective describing someone or something lacking in vitality, spirit, or strength; effeminate or pretentiously refined. It often conveys a sense of weakness, decadence, or ineffectiveness. The term is formal and slightly archaic, frequently used in critical or descriptive prose to signal a jaded or exhausted modern condition. In context, it may refer to institutions, systems, or individuals that seem exhausted or ineffectual.
- You may default to a long first syllable (e-FEET) or fail to shorten the first vowel; remind yourself the first syllable is /ɪ/ not /iː/. - Avoid turning the second syllable into /eɪ/ or /iː/; keep it /fɛt/ with a crisp /e/ as in bet, not a tense vowel. - Don’t add a silent or weakly released final /t/; close with a precise /t/ to prevent slurring.
How to Pronounce Effete
"The once-dynamic industry has become effete, unable to adapt to new technologies."
"Critics described the administration as effete, failing to respond decisively to crises."
"Her effete attitude toward risk limited the team's willingness to innovate."
Pronounce it as i-FET, with the stress on the second syllable: /ɪˈfet/. The first vowel is a short i as in “sit,” followed by a crisp, unstressed schwa-like sound before the stressed /ˈfet/. Your mouth starts with a relaxed jaw, the tongue high-mid for /ɪ/ and then moves to a tight, quick /f/ + /e/ + /t/ cluster. In careful speech you’ll hear a clean /ɪ/ and a sharp final /t/. Audio reference: listen to standard British or American pronunciations, then mirror the mouth shape for the /ɪ/ and the /f/ and /t/ closures.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress as /ˈe-fet/ or /ˈi-fet/, which sounds like ‘EF-et’ rather than ‘i-FET’; 2) Slurring the second syllable into a quick /eɪ/ or /iː/; 3) Over-syllabicating the final /t/ making it /ˈɛˌfet/. Correction: keep primary stress on the second syllable, use a short /ɪ/ in the first vowel, and form a clean, light /t/ at the end. Practice with minimal pairs and mirror your mouth to ensure the /ɪ/ is distinct and the /t/ is a crisp stop.
In US and UK, the word is /ɪˈfet/ with a non-rhotic or light /r/ not involved; rhoticity doesn’t affect this word since there’s no /r/. UK pronunciation tends to be crisper with a shorter /ɪ/ and sharper /f/ and /t/. Australian usage generally matches US/UK but can exhibit broader vowels, sometimes slight vowel raising in /e/; keep the /ɪ/ short and the /e/ sound near /e/ in “bet.” Overall, the key is the second-syllable stress and crisp /t/ termination across accents.
The difficulty lies in the short, lax first vowel /ɪ/ and the immediate transition to the /f/ consonant cluster, requiring precise mouth closure and air pressure. Some speakers over-relax the second syllable, turning /ˈfet/ into /ˈfiːt/ or /ˈfɛt/. Maintaining a short /ɪ/ and a crisp, non-syllabic /f/ before the /e/ helps. Also, the final /t/ should be a clean stop rather than a released tap; use a light air release to prevent a hiss.
Yes, the spelling implies an -ete ending that often misleads readers into a longer vowel or a trailing vowel sound; however, the actual pronunciation keeps a short /ɪ/ in the first syllable and does not elongate the second syllable. The -ete ending itself should not be pronounced as /ˈeɪti/ or /ˈiːti/. Focus on /ɪˈfet/ with a crisp /t/ at the end, which aligns with many English loanwords ending in -ete that are not pronounced as a long vowel.
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US: /ɪˈfet/ with a flat American /ɪ/ and a clearly enunciated /t/; maintain non-rhoticity as appropriate but not rely on a trailing r. UK: crisper /ɪˈfet/, shorter /ɪ/ and more clipped final /t/; AU: often slightly broader vowels, but keep /ɪ/ short and /t/ crisp. IPA guide: /ɪˈfet/ (US/UK/AU). Stress remains on the second syllable. In all accents, avoid a prolonged second vowel; aim for a quick transition into the /f/ and another clean /t/.
Effete comes from the Latin effētus, meaning exhausted, worn out, or spent. The Latin verb fodere or simulacra are not directly relevant; instead effētus derives from ex- (out) + fētus (breeding, bringing forth), linked to fētus meaning brought forth, produced. In Latin, effētus carried connotations of being worn out or exhausted, especially in terms of strength and vitality. The term entered English in the 17th century with the sense of “depleted of vitality” or “exhausted of strength” and gradually acquired additional nuances of decadence, weakness, or decadence in culture or institutions. By the 19th and 20th centuries, effete often carried a slightly ironic or pejorative tone, highlighting perceived sterility, over-refinement, or moral or intellectual exhaustion rather than raw physical weakness. Today, effete maintains its core sense of diminished vitality, but it is frequently used in literary or rhetorical contexts to critique systems, cultural trends, or individuals who appear self-satisfied and inert rather than actively productive.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Effete" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Effete"
-eet sounds
-eat sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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