effect
effect Lexical Profile
effect Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A change that is a result or consequence of an action or other cause.
"Regular physical exercise has a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health."
The state of being operative, active, or in force (especially of a law, rule, or policy).
"The new environmental regulations will go into effect at the beginning of next month."
An impression produced in the mind of a viewer, listener, or reader, or an artificial illusion created by lighting, sound, or staging.
"The director used dim lighting and fog to create an eerie effect on stage."
Personal belongings or movable property (almost always used in the plural, 'effects').
"The hotel staff carefully packed the guest's personal effects and forwarded them to his home address."
• verb
To cause something to happen; to bring about or accomplish a result or change (used in formal contexts).
"The new committee was established to effect meaningful reforms across the entire school district."
Word Nuance & Usage
Commonly confused with 'affect': in general usage, 'effect' is a noun meaning a result or outcome, while 'affect' is a verb meaning to influence. However, in formal registers, 'effect' also functions as a transitive verb meaning to bring about or accomplish (as in 'to effect positive change').
• Rhymes for effect
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Old French 'efet', from Latin 'effectus' ('accomplishment, performance'), derived from the verb 'efficere' ('to work out, accomplish'), combining 'ex-' ('out') and 'facere' ('to make, do').