# efficiency

Pronunciation: say "i-FISH-uhn-see" /ɪˈfɪʃ.ən.si/

## Noun

1. The extent to which a resource is used for its intended purpose, with little waste.
   - Simple: How well something uses a resource without wasting it.
   - _The new manager improved the efficiency of the warehouse by cutting wasted steps._
   - _Better insulation increases the efficiency of every dollar spent on heating._
2. The extent to which time is used well for a given task.
   - Simple: How well someone uses their time to get a task done.
   - _Switching to digital records boosted the office's efficiency during busy hours._
   - _Her efficiency in meetings means they rarely run over schedule._
3. The ratio of useful work produced to the energy put in, often written with the symbol η.
   - Simple: How much useful work you get out compared to the energy you put in.
   - _The turbine's efficiency dropped sharply when friction increased in the bearings._
   - _Engineers calculated the motor's efficiency at about eighty percent._
4. A small apartment consisting of a single main room, where the living, sleeping, and cooking areas share one space. *(US)*
   - Simple: A small apartment that has just one main room.
   - _After college she moved into a downtown efficiency to keep her rent low._
   - _The building offers several efficiencies for students on a budget._

## Noun

5. The quality of being able to produce an effect or effects. *(dated)*
   - Simple: The power to make something happen or have an effect.
   - _The preacher spoke of the efficiency of prayer in changing hearts._
   - _Reviewers doubted the tonic's efficiency despite its bold claims._

## Origin

From Latin efficientia, equivalent to 'efficient' plus the suffix '-cy'.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/efficiency (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).