What does "efficient" mean?
Efficient: Causing effects; producing results; that makes the effect to be what it is; actively operative; not inactive, slack, or incapable; characterized by energetic and useful activity; as, an efficient officer, power. The efficient cause is the working cause. Wilson.
Additional senses
- 2.An efficient cause; a prime mover. God . . . moveth mere natural agents as an efficient only. Hooker.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00