English
effect
Effect comes from Latin effectus ‘an effect, tendency, purpose’, from faciō ‘to do’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjōreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfaciō‘to do’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEefficiō‘accomplish’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEeffectus‘an effect’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400effect
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjōreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfaciō‘to do’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEefficiō‘accomplish’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEeffectus‘an effect’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400effect
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606same form
Earliest quotation: c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of King Lear: “All the large effects / That troop with majesty.”
The story
Of the noun: from Middle English effect, from Old French effect (modern French effet), from Latin effectus (‘an effect, tendency, purpose’), 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.
Linked words
through Proto-Italic *θakjō
affectionate, imperfection, putrefaction, 67 more
through Proto-Italic *fakjō ‘to make’
factor, difficulty, interface, manufacture, faction, perfection, affection, facet, imperfect, affective, defection, deface, defector, confectionary, affectation, 70 more
through Latin faciō ‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
face, fact, difficult, profit, feature, facility, perfect, faculty, sacrifice, facial, affair, facilitate, deficit, infection, feat, affect, superficial, facade, fetish, counterfeit, deficient, facsimile, façade, hacienda, defect, infect, maleficent, aficionado, beautify, parfait, facies, confit, difficile, beneficent, confection, refectory, 85 more
through Latin efficiō ‘accomplish, complete, effect’
efficient, efficacy, ineffective, efficacious, 17 more
through Middle English effect
Today it means
noun The result or outcome of a cause.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- / effect