English
effect
Etymology

Of the noun: from Middle English effect, from Old French effect (modern French effet), from Latin effectus, from efficiō ("accomplish, complete, effect"); see effect as a verb.

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.

Pronunciation
  • (RP, America) IPA: /ɪˈfɛkt/
  • (America, weak vowel) IPA: /əˈfɛkt/
  • (Australia) IPA: /ɪˈfekt/
  • (Malaysia, Singapore) IPA: /iˈfɛkt/
Noun

effect

  1. The result or outcome of a cause.
    Synonyms: consequence, Thesaurus:cause
    Antonyms: Thesaurus:cause
    • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC ↗:
      The stories did not seem to me to touch life. They were plainly intended to have a bracing moral effect, and perhaps had this result for the people at whom they were aimed.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC ↗:
      The half-dozen pieces […] were painted white and carved with festoons of flowers, birds and cupids. […]   The bed was the most extravagant piece.  Its graceful cane halftester rose high towards the cornice and was so festooned in carved white wood that the effect was positively insecure, as if the great couch were trimmed with icing sugar.
    The effect of the hurricane was a devastated landscape.
  2. Impression left on the mind; sensation produced.
  3. Execution; performance; realization; operation.
    • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act I, scene v]:
      That no compunctious visitings of nature / Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between / The effect and it.
    1. (uncountable) The state of being binding and enforceable, as in a rule, policy, or law.
      The new law will come into effect on the first day of next year.
  4. (filmology, computer graphics, demoscene) An illusion produced by technical means (as in "special effect")
    The effect of flying was most convincing.
    • 2018, Jimmy Maher, The Future Was Here: The Commodore Amiga, page 186:
      The colored bands of color that strobe through much of the text and other visual elements are perhaps the most prototypical of all Amiga demoscene effects and, again, are a direct result of the hardware on which Megademo was created to run.
  5. (sound engineering) An alteration, or device for producing an alteration, in sound after it has been produced by an instrument.
    I use an echo effect here to make the sound more mysterious.
    I just bought a couple of great effects.
  6. (physics, psychology, etc.) A scientific phenomenon, usually named after its discoverer.
    Doppler effect
  7. (usually, in the plural) Belongings, usually as personal effects.
    The tenant shall pay for the repair of, or replace all such items of the fixtures, fittings, furniture and effects as shall be broken, lost, damaged or destroyed during that time.
  8. Consequence intended; purpose; meaning; general intent; with to.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, 2 Chronicles 34:22 ↗:
      They spake to her to that effect.
  9. (obsolete) Reality; actual meaning; fact, as distinguished from mere appearance.
    • 1642, John Denham, Cooper's Hill:
      no other in effect than what it seems
  10. (obsolete) Manifestation; expression; sign.
    • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act I, scene i]:
      All the large effects / That troop with majesty.
Related terms Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Verb

effect (effects, present participle effecting; simple past and past participle effected)

  1. (transitive) To make or bring about; to implement.
    The best way to effect change is to work with existing stakeholders.
  2. Misspelling of affect
Related terms Translations

This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.003
Offline English dictionary