Word of the day · 17 July 2026
effect
/ɪˈfɛkt/
noun
A result or outcome produced by a cause; what happens because of something else.
In a sentence
- The new schedule had an immediate effect on attendance.
- Salt has a preservative effect on cured meat.
- They hope the reforms will effect a lasting change in hiring.
In an image
Origin
From Latin effectus (accomplishment, result), from efficere (to bring about, accomplish).
History
In ordinary English, effect is almost always the noun: the effect of the policy, side effects, cause and effect. People search it when they are unsure whether to write affect or effect after a verb slot. As a verb, to effect means to bring about (to effect a change), which is rarer and more formal. If you mean influence, you usually want affect; if you mean the result, you usually want effect.
Nearby words
result · outcome · affect
Usually the noun for the result; sometimes a verb meaning to bring something about.