Spelling.School · How to spell
How to spell effective
Effective is spelled E-F-F-E-C-T-I-V-E. Effect plus -IVE: the two F's of effect stay, ef-fec-tive.
What it means: Producing or capable of producing an intended result.
In a sentence: Washing your hands is an effective way to stay healthy.
The part people get wrong
Watch for double f.
Same family: effect, effectively, effectiveness, ineffective, efficient. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.
Where it comes from: “Effective” comes from Latin *effectivus*, from *effectus* meaning “accomplishment” or “performance.” It’s closely related to the noun “effect” and entered English through Middle French in the late Middle Ages.
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