English
effective
Effective comes from French effectif, from Latin effectīvus ‘productive, effective’, from efficiō ‘to bring about’; equivalent to effect + -ive.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEefficiō‘to make; bring about’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEeffectīvus‘productive; effective’
- Frenchc. 1600–presenteffectif‘effective’
- Englishearliest quotation 1651effective
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEefficiō‘to make; bring about’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEeffectīvus‘productive; effective’
- Frenchc. 1600–presenteffectif‘effective’
- Englishearliest quotation 1651effective
Earliest quotation: 1651, Jeremy Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […]: “Whosoever is an effective, real cause of doing his…”
Formed from effect + -ive
Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k-
…
Latin efficiō ‘accomplish’
Latin effectus ‘an effect’
Old French effect
Middle English effect
English effect
Linked words
through Proto-Italic *θakjō
affectionate, imperfection, putrefaction, 68 more
through Proto-Italic *fakjō ‘to make’
factor, difficulty, interface, manufacture, faction, perfection, facet, affection, imperfect, defection, deface, defector, affective, confectionary, affectation, 71 more
through Latin faciō ‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
face, fact, difficult, profit, perfect, feature, facility, faculty, sacrifice, affair, facial, facilitate, deficit, affect, feat, infection, superficial, facade, counterfeit, fetish, deficient, facsimile, façade, defect, infect, hacienda, maleficent, aficionado, parfait, facies, beautify, confit, difficile, beneficent, confection, refectory, 86 more
through Latin efficiō ‘to make’
Today it means
adj Having the power to produce a required effect or effects.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin efficiō / effective