efficient

CEFRB1

/ɪˈfɪʃənt/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Working well without wasting time, energy, or materials.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Causing effects, producing results; bringing into being; initiating change (rare except in philosophical and legal expression efficient cause = causative factor or agent).

Examples

  • Can you guess which cooler is the most efficient?

  • This computer is powerful, efficient, and easy to use.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
3

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Expressing the proportion of consumed energy that was successfully used in a process; the ratio of useful output to total input.

  2. Making good, thorough, or careful use of resources; not consuming extra. Especially, making good use of time or energy.

  3. effective, efficacious

More examples

In context

  • An efficient process would automate all the routine work.

  • Our cleaners are almost too efficient: they throw away anything left out on a desk.

  • The motor is only 20% efficient at that temperature.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The new heating system is very blank and uses less energy than the old one.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

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.