womanish, unmanly, voluptuous.

Effeminate (effeminatus), according to the vulgate, are mentioned in several places of Scripture. The word is there used to signify such as were consecrated to some profane god, and prostituted themselves in honour of him. The Hebrew word hodesh, translated effeminatus, properly signifies consecrated; and hence it was applied to those of either sex, who publicly prostituted themselves in honour of Baal and Astarte. Moses expressly forbids these irregularities among the Israelites; but the history of the Jews shows that they were notwithstanding frequently practised.