ef·fect (ĭ-fĕkt́)

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[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin effectus, from past participle of efficere, to accomplish, ex-, ex-, + facere, to make.]

noun 

1. Something brought about by a cause or agent; a result.
2. The power to produce an outcome or achieve a result; influence: The drug had an immediate effect on the pain. The government's action had no effect on the trade imbalance.
3. A scientific law, hypothesis, or phenomenon: the photovoltaic effect.
4. Advantage; avail: used her words to great effect in influencing the jury.
5. The condition of being in full force or execution: a new regulation that goes into effect tomorrow.
6. 1. Something that produces a specific impression or supports a general design or intention: The lighting effects emphasized the harsh atmosphere of the drama.
   2. A particular impression: large windows that gave an effect of spaciousness.
   3. Production of a desired impression: spent lavishly on dinner just for effect.
7. The basic or general meaning; import: He said he was greatly worried, or words to that effect.
8. Movable belongings; goods.

transitive verb: -fect·ed, -fect·ing, -fects. 

1. To bring into existence.
2. To produce as a result.
3. To bring about. See Usage Note at: affect

idioms

in effect

In essence; to all purposes: testimony that in effect contradicted her earlier statement.

derivatives

ef·fect́er

noun

ef·fect́i·ble

adjective

synonyms:

effect, consequence, result, outcome, upshot, sequel These nouns denote an occurrence, situation, or condition that is caused by an antecedent. An effect is produced by the action of an agent or a cause and follows it in time: “Every cause produces more than one effect” (Herbert Spencer) A consequence has a less sharply definable relationship to its cause: “Servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt” (John P. Curran) A result is viewed as the end product of the operation of the cause: “Judging from the results I have seen … I cannot say … that I agree with you” (William H. Mallock) An outcome more strongly implies finality and may suggest the operation of a cause over a relatively long period: The trial's outcome might have changed if the defendant had testified. An upshot is a decisive result, often of the nature of a climax: “The upshot of the matter … was that she showed both of them the door” (Robert Louis Stevenson) A sequel is a consequence that ensues after a lapse of time: “Our dreams are the sequel of our waking knowledge” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

See also: perform