Effect Definition

effect

English

Etymology

For noun: from Old French effect (French: effet), from Latin effectus, from efficiō (“accomplish, complete, effect”); see effect as a verb.

For verb: from Latin effectus, perfect passive participle of efficiō (“accomplish, complete, do, effect”), from ex (“out”) + faciō (“do, make”); see fact and compare affect, infect.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪˈfɛkt/, SAMPA: /I"fEkt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛkt

Noun

effect (plural effects)

1. The result or outcome of a cause. See usage notes below.

   The effect of the hurricane was a devastated landscape.

2. (cinematography) An illusion produced by technical means (as in "special effect")

   The effect of flying was most convincing.

3. (sound engineering) An alteration in sound after it has been produced by an instrument.

   I use an echo effect here to make the sound more mysterious.

4. (sound engineering) A device for producing an alteration in sound produced by an instrument.

   I just bought a couple of great effects.

5. 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.

6. (physics) A scientific phenomenon, usually named after its discoverer.

   Doppler effect

7. (usually plural) Belongings, usually as personal effects.

Usage notes

The homophones “affect” and “effect” can both be used as nouns or verbs, but when used as a noun the word affect is limited to uses in the psychology field, and the above definitions for effect are much more common. See also the usage notes as a verb below.

Adjectives often applied to "effect": legal, economic, personal, social, political, cultural, moral, physical, chemical, physiological, biological, nutritional, mental, positive, negative, beneficial, harmful, good, bad, deleterious, intended, strong, weak, undesirable, devastating, disastrous, catastrophic, fatal, significant, important, likely, special, natural, actual, real, potential, primary, secondary.

Derived terms

Verb

effect (third-person singular simple present effects, present participle effecting, simple past and past participle effected)

1. To make or bring about; to implement.

   The best way to effect change is to work with existing stakeholders.

Usage notes

Effect is often confused with “affect”. The latter is used to convey the influence over existing ideas, emotions and entities; the former indicates the manifestation of new or original ideas or entities:

• “...new governing coalitions have effected major changes” indicates that major changes were made as a result of new governing coalitions.
• “...new governing coalitions have affected major changes” indicates that before new governing coalitions, major changes were in place, and that the new governing coalitions had some influence over these existing changes.

Related terms

Translations

Statistics

• Most common English words before 1923: road · husband · blockquote · #552: effect · wanted · probably · especially

External links

• effect in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• effect in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Dutch

Wikipedia ^nl

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

effect n. (plural effecten)

1. effect

Middle French

Noun

effect m. (plural effectz)

1. effect

Descendants

• French: effet

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See Also:

• Effect