English
efficient
Efficient comes, via Old French, from Latin efficiēns (accusative efficientem), present participle of efficiō ‘to accomplish’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEefficiōas efficere, participle‘to work out, accomplish’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEefficiēns‘accomplishing’
- Englishearliest quotation 1614efficient
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEefficiōas efficere, participle‘to work out, accomplish’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEefficiēns‘accomplishing’
- Englishearliest quotation 1614efficient
Earliest quotation: 1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh]: “It was well said of Plotinus, that the stars…”
first attested Efficiency apartment is first recorded 1930, American English (as stated in the etymology)
The story
1398, “making,” from Old French, from Latin efficientem, nominative efficiēns, participle of efficere (‘work out, accomplish’) (see effect). Meaning “productive, skilled” is from 1787. Efficiency apartment is first recorded 1930, American English.
Linked words
through Proto-Italic *θakjō
affectionate, imperfection, putrefaction, 64 more
through Proto-Italic *fakjō ‘to make’
factor, effectively, perfection, manufacture, interface, difficulty, faction, affection, effectiveness, imperfect, ineffective, facet, affective, defection, defector, confectionary, affectation, deface, 67 more
through Latin faciō ‘to do, to make’
face, fact, perfect, feature, difficult, effective, profit, facility, affect, infection, faculty, affair, feat, sacrifice, facial, facilitate, fetish, defect, facade, deficit, infect, counterfeit, superficial, facsimile, façade, beautify, confection, parfait, hacienda, effector, deficient, aficionado, refectory, confit, facies, maleficent, difficile, beneficent, 85 more
through Latin efficiō ‘work out, accomplish’
Today it means
adj Making good, thorough, or careful use of resources; not consuming extra. Especially, making good use of time or energy.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin efficiō / efficient