Etymology

Of the noun: from Middle EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Middle English#EFFECTCategory:English terms derived from Middle English#EFFECT effect, from Old FrenchCategory:English terms derived from Old French#EFFECT effect (modern French effet), from LatinCategory:English terms derived from Latin#EFFECT effectus (“an effect, tendency, purpose”), from efficiō (“accomplish, complete, effect”); see effect as a verb. Displaced Old EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Old English#EFFECTCategory:English terms derived from Old English#EFFECT fremming, fremednes from fremman.

Of the verb: from Middle EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Middle English#EFFECTCategory:English terms derived from Middle English#EFFECT effecten, partly from Medieval LatinCategory:English terms derived from Medieval Latin#EFFECT effectuō, from LatinCategory:English terms derived from Latin#EFFECT 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

• (Received Pronunciation, General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ɪˈfɛkt/Category:English 2-syllable words#EFFECTCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#EFFECT

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

  Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#EFFECT

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

  Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#EFFECT
  • (weak vowel merger) IPA^(key): /əˈfɛkt/Category:English 2-syllable words#EFFECTCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#EFFECT
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ɪˈfekt/Category:English 2-syllable words#EFFECTCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#EFFECT
• (Malaysia, Singapore) IPA^(key): /iˈfɛkt/^[1]Category:English 2-syllable words#EFFECTCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#EFFECT
• Homophone: affect (weak vowel merger)Category:English terms with homophones#EFFECT
• Hyphenation: ef‧fect
• Rhymes: -ɛktCategory:Rhymes:English/ɛkt#EFFECTCategory:Rhymes:English/ɛkt/2 syllables#EFFECT

Noun

effect (countable and uncountable, plural effects)Category:English lemmas#EFFECTCategory:English nouns#EFFECTCategory:English uncountable nouns#EFFECTCategory:English countable nouns#EFFECTCategory:English countable nouns#EFFECTCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#EFFECTCategory:Pages with entries#EFFECTCategory:Pages with 4 entries#EFFECT

1. The result or outcome of a cause.

   Synonyms: consequence; see also Thesaurus:cause

   Antonyms: see Thesaurus:cause

   The effect of the hurricane was a devastated landscape.Category:English terms with usage examples#EFFECT

   • 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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

   • 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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

   • 2013 June 8, “Obama goes troll-hunting”, in The Economist‎, volume 407, number 8839, page 55:

     The solitary, lumbering trolls of Scandinavian mythology would sometimes be turned to stone by exposure to sunlight. Barack Obama is hoping that several measures announced on June 4th will have a similarly paralysing effect on their modern incarnation, the patent troll.

     Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

2. Impression left on the mind; sensation produced.
   • 1832 October, unknown author, “The Tears of Parents”, in The Christian Observer, volume 32:

     patchwork […] introduced for oratorical effect

     Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

   • 1832, Washington Irving, Tales of the Alhambra:

     The effect was heightened by the wild and lonely nature of the place.

     Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

   1. (uncountableCategory:English uncountable nouns#EFFECT) 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.Category:English terms with usage examples#EFFECT

4. (cinematographyCategory:en:Cinematography#EFFECT, computer graphicsCategory:en:Computer graphics#EFFECT, demosceneCategory:en:Demoscene#EFFECT) An illusion produced by technical means (as in "special effect")

   The effect of flying was most convincing.Category:English terms with usage examples#EFFECT

   • 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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

     Category:Quotation templates to be cleaned
5. (sound engineeringCategory:en:Sound engineering#EFFECT) 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.Category:English terms with usage examples#EFFECT

   I just bought a couple of great effects.Category:English terms with usage examples#EFFECT

6. (sciencesCategory:en:Sciences#EFFECT) A scientific phenomenon, usually named after its discoverer.

   Doppler effectCategory:English terms with usage examples#EFFECT

7. (sciencesCategory:en:Sciences#EFFECT, statisticsCategory:en:Statistics#EFFECT) An influence or causal association between two variables.

   effect sizeCategory:English terms with collocations#EFFECT

   therapeutic effectCategory:English terms with collocations#EFFECT

8. (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.Category:English terms with usage examples#EFFECT

   • 1690, “A Relation of the Late Great Revolution in Siam, and the Driving Out of the French”, in A Full and True Relation of the Great and Wonderful Revolution That Hapned Lately in the Kingdom of Siam in the East-Indies, London: Randal Taylor, page 7:

     His Goods, Family, and all his Effects were also ſeiz'd every where, and his Family carried into Priſon.

     Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

9. 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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

10. (obsoleteCategory:English terms with obsolete senses#EFFECT) Reality; actual meaning; fact, as distinguished from mere appearance.
    • 1642, John Denham, Cooper's Hill:

      no other in effect than what it seems

      Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

      Category:Quotation templates to be cleaned
11. (obsoleteCategory:English terms with obsolete senses#EFFECT) 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.

      Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

Verb

effect (third-person singular simple present effects, present participle effecting, simple past and past participle effected)Category:English lemmas#EFFECTCategory:English verbs#EFFECTCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#EFFECTCategory:Pages with entries#EFFECTCategory:Pages with 4 entries#EFFECT

1. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#EFFECT) To make or bring about; to implement.

   The best way to effect change is to work with existing stakeholders.Category:English terms with usage examples#EFFECT

   • 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 57:

     The offence thus given naturally effected an entire conversion in the queen's sentiments, and when Arthur returned from hunting, like Potiphar's wife, she charges Launfal with attempting her honour.

     Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

   • 1927, Havelock Ellis, Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 2 (of 6)‎:

     The punishment for sodomy, when completely effected, was death, and it was frequently inflicted.

     Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

   • 1944 July and August, Charles E. Lee, “The "City of Truro"”, in Railway Magazine, page 202:

     The transfer by tender of some 1,300 mail bags was effected smartly, and the "Ocean Mails Special" train was ready at 9.19 a.m.

     Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

   • 1946 March 27, “Is There a United Protestant Church in Korea?”, in Zions Herald, volume CXXIV, number 13, Boston Wesleyan Association, page 302, column 2:

     Mr. Kim was again elected chairman, and a committee of forty was authorized to draw up regulations for the church to be submitted to a full convention, probably in April. Only south Korea delegates were present at this meeting. Hence, the delay until April was effected in order to give time to bring in the Christians of north Korea.

     Category:English terms with quotations#EFFECT

2. Misspelling of affectCategory:English misspellings#EFFECT.

References

Further reading

• “effect”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “effect”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

Etymology

From Middle DutchCategory:Dutch terms inherited from Middle Dutch#EFFECTCategory:Dutch terms derived from Middle Dutch#EFFECT effect, from Old FrenchCategory:Dutch terms derived from Old French#EFFECT effect, from LatinCategory:Dutch terms derived from Latin#EFFECT effectus. The sense ‘(equitable) security’ borrowed from GermanCategory:Dutch terms derived from German#EFFECT Effekt or FrenchCategory:Dutch terms derived from French#EFFECT effet.^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛˈfɛkt/Category:Dutch terms with IPA pronunciation#EFFECT

• Audio:

  (file)

  Category:Dutch terms with audio pronunciation#EFFECT
• Hyphenation: ef‧fect
• Rhymes: -ɛktCategory:Rhymes:Dutch/ɛkt#EFFECT

Noun

effect n (plural effecten, diminutive effectje n)Category:Dutch lemmas#EFFECTCategory:Dutch nouns#EFFECTCategory:Dutch nouns with plural in -en#EFFECTCategory:Dutch entries with incorrect language header#EFFECTCategory:Dutch neuter nouns#EFFECTCategory:Pages with entries#EFFECTCategory:Pages with 4 entries#EFFECT

1. effect
2. (financeCategory:nl:Finance#EFFECT, usually in the plural) security, notably bond or stock

   Hypernym: waardepapier

3. (ball gamesCategory:nl:Ball games#EFFECT) spin (rotation of a ball)
4. (obsoleteCategory:Dutch terms with obsolete senses#EFFECT) personal effect, belonging

References

Alternative forms

• effaict

Etymology

From Old FrenchCategory:Middle French terms inherited from Old French#EFFECTCategory:Middle French terms derived from Old French#EFFECT effect.

Noun

effect m (plural effects)Category:Middle French lemmas#EFFECTCategory:Middle French nouns#EFFECTCategory:Middle French entries with incorrect language header#EFFECTCategory:Middle French masculine nouns#EFFECTCategory:Pages with entries#EFFECTCategory:Pages with 4 entries#EFFECTCategory:Middle French countable nouns#EFFECT

1. effect

Etymology

Learned borrowing from LatinCategory:Old French terms borrowed from Latin#EFFECTCategory:Old French learned borrowings from Latin#EFFECTCategory:Old French terms derived from Latin#EFFECT effectus.

Noun

effect oblique singular, m (oblique plural effecz or effectz, nominative singular effecz or effectz, nominative plural effect)Category:Old French lemmas#EFFECTCategory:Old French nouns#EFFECTCategory:Old French masculine nouns#EFFECTCategory:Old French entries with incorrect language header#EFFECTCategory:Old French masculine nouns#EFFECTCategory:Pages with entries#EFFECTCategory:Pages with 4 entries#EFFECT

1. effect
2. (lawCategory:fro:Law#EFFECT) judgment; decree
   • punir les contrevenantz solonc l’effect des estatut

     Punish the offender according to the decree of the statute