efficient

Definition

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

Etymology

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.

Example Sentences

• "An efficient process would automate all the routine work."
• "Our cleaners are almost too efficient: they throw away anything left out on a desk."
• "An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic[…]real kidneys[…]. But they are nothing like as efficient, and can cause bleeding, clotting and infection—not to mention inconvenience for patients, who typically need to be hooked up to one three times a week for hours at a time."

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