effective
/əˈfektɪv/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.89 in modern English
20
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
adj
approximate; Not describing the fundamental dynamic changes in some system as they happen.
Example Sentences
- "The pill is an effective method of birth control."
- ""Capital idea; we'll go together and complain: two will be more effective," suggested Mr. Belting."
- "Fire ants circumvented the problem of an ineffective sting by having an unusual and highly effective venom that when daubed or sprayed on other ants penetrates their waxy protective integumental barrier and kills or disables them."
- "The president delivered an effective speech!"
- "Whosoever is an effective, real cause of doing his neighbour wrong, is criminal."
- "How long does it take to make a bunch of civilians an effective military force?"
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs Proto-Italic *eks Latin ex Latin ex- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₁kyéti Proto-Italic *θakjō Proto-Italic *fakjō Latin faciō Latin efficiō Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Latin effectīvusbor. French effectifder. English effective From French effectif, from Latin effectīvus (“productive; effective”), from efficiō (“to make; to bring about”), equivalent to effect + -ive.
Origin
- Source language: French
Word Breakdown
- Root: effectif, effectīvus
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /əˈfektɪv/