Nellies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A plural form describing men perceived as effeminate or lacking traditional masculinity; an archaic or offensive term for flamboyant or gay men; informal usage to denote individuals exhibiting softness or cowardice
2. A term referring to multiple males considered unmanly or weak; historically used as a derogatory label for gay men; colloquially applied to characters showing delicacy or timidity
3. Denotes more than one person regarded as not conforming to masculine norms; formerly employed as a pejorative for homosexual men; in casual speech, used to describe people acting overly gentle or fearful

Etymology: "Nellies" is the plural of "nelly", a slang noun for an unmanly, weak man. The word is usually traced to the woman's name Nelly, a familiar form of Eleanor or Helen, and the source also links it to a phrase, "Nelly Duff", where "duff" is a slang word for puff, meaning breath of life. Men described as "nellies" were thus pictured as lacking the breath or spirit that marked a real man, a meaning that turns a common girl's name into an insult. The plural simply applies the same sense to a group of such men. Because the term grew from a personal name, its force depends on the old association of soft, delicate or effeminate qualities with women, which is why the insult has always been aimed at men.

Synonyms: men, boys, guys

Antonyms: ladies, girls, women