English Explanatory Dictionary

effect

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The result or outcome of a cause.
  2. Impression left on the mind; sensation produced.
  3. Execution; performance; realization; operation.
  4. The state of being binding and enforceable, as in a rule, policy, or law.
  5. An illusion produced by technical means (as in "special effect")
  6. An alteration, or device for producing an alteration, in sound after it has been produced by an instrument.
  7. A scientific phenomenon, usually named after its discoverer.
  8. An influence or causal association between two variables.
  9. Belongings, usually as personal effects.
  10. Consequence intended; purpose; meaning; general intent; with to.
  11. Reality; actual meaning; fact, as distinguished from mere appearance.
  12. Manifestation; expression; sign.
verb
  1. To make or bring about; to implement.
  2. Misspelling of affect.

Pronunciation

/ɪˈfɛkt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Back ache-effect.wav En-us-effect.ogg /əˈfɛkt/ /ɪˈfekt/ /iˈfɛkt/

Word forms

effect effects effecting effected

Etymology

Of the noun: from Middle English effect, from Old French effect (modern French effet), from Latin effectus (“an effect, tendency, purpose”), from efficiō (“accomplish, complete, effect”); see effect as a verb. Displaced Old English fremming, fremednes from fremman. Of the verb: from Middle English effecten, partly from Medieval Latin effectuō, from Latin effectus, perfect passive participle of efficiō (“accomplish, complete, do, effect”), from ex (“out”) + faciō (“do, make”) (see fact and compare affect, infect) and partly from the noun effect.

Synonyms

consequence basis cause genesis germ origin principle reason root source

Antonyms

basis cause genesis germ origin principle reason root source

Related words

feckless effectibility effectible effective effectiveness effectivity effector effectual effectuate efficacious efficacity efficacy efficiency efficient

Derived words

Abney effect accelerator effect acousto-optic effect adverse effect aha effect Aharonov-Bohm effect Al Jazeera effect Allais effect Allee effect Amazon effect anchoring effect Anrep effect anti-greenhouse effect Askaryan effect audience effect Auger effect Auger-Meitner effect Autler-Townes effect autokinetic effect avalanche effect Averch-Johnson effect Baader-Meinhof effect backfire effect Balassa-Samuelson effect Baldwin effect Bambi effect bandwagon effect bank effect barber pole effect Barkhausen effect Barnett effect Barnum effect Baskerville effect Bayliss effect Ben Franklin effect Bernoulli effect betavoltaic effect Bezold-Brücke effect Bezold effect Biefeld-Brown effect big-fish-little-pond effect Bilbao effect bioeffect birthday effect black drop effect Blackett effect Bohr effect boomerang effect bouba/kiki effect Bowditch effect Bradley effect Branly effect Brazil nut effect Bridgman effect brown ocean effect Bruce effect Brussels effect bullwhip effect butt-brush effect by-effect
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