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Synonyms

efficiency

American  
[ih-fish-uhn-see] / ɪˈfɪʃ ən si /

noun

plural

efficiencies
  1. the state or quality of being efficient, or able to accomplish something with the least waste of time and effort; competency in performance.

  2. accomplishment of or ability to accomplish a job with a minimum expenditure of time and effort.

    The assembly line increased industry's efficiency.

  3. the ratio of the work done or energy developed by a machine, engine, etc., to the energy supplied to it, usually expressed as a percentage.

  4. efficiency apartment.


efficiency British  
/ ɪˈfɪʃənsɪ /

noun

  1. the quality or state of being efficient; competence; effectiveness

  2. the ratio of the useful work done by a machine, engine, device, etc, to the energy supplied to it, often expressed as a percentage See also thermal efficiency

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

efficiency Scientific  
/ ĭ-fĭshən-sē /
  1. The ratio of the energy delivered (or work done) by a machine to the energy needed (or work required) in operating the machine. The efficiency of any machine is always less than one due to forces such as friction that use up energy unproductively.

  2. See also mechanical advantage

  3. The ratio of the effective or useful output to the total input in any system.


Other Word Forms

  • nonefficiency noun
  • superefficiency noun

Etymology

Origin of efficiency

First recorded in 1585–95; from Latin efficientia, from efficient- (stem of efficiēns efficient ) + -ia -y 3

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Even one outperforming unit, plus continued internal efficiency improvements, could be enough to power it to outperform the KBW Nasdaq Bank Index once again.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Our research shows that beauty in mathematics is not only an aesthetic notion, but something with structural depth and efficiency," says Professor Heinrich Begehr.

From Science Daily

This setup produced an ultracold quantum gas in which both energy and mass move with complete efficiency.

From Science Daily

If not, your boss may have figured the steady stream of news about layoffs and AI efficiencies sends a strong-enough message.

From The Wall Street Journal

Despite the resilience seen so far, "these frictions and uncertainties take their toll over time", such as through efficiency loses, according to Obstfeld.

From BBC