inefficacy

I1N1E1F4F4I1C3A1C3Y4

noun

The condition of being ineffective

Similar
inefficaciousness
Opposite
efficacy
OriginEnglish efficacy ← Old French efficace ← Late Latin efficācia →
RareScrabble 23
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Meanings

nouninefficacy (usually uncountable, plural inefficacies)

plural inefficacies

  1. uncountableusuallyThe condition of being ineffective

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna lack of efficacy

Similar
inefficaciousness
Opposite
efficacy
Broader
ineffectivenessineffectualnessineffectuality
Also see
inefficaciousnessinefficacityuneffectualness

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
  3. Proto-Italic*n̥-
  4. Latinin-
  5. Middle Englishin-
  6. Englishin-
  7. Late Latinefficācia
  8. Old Frenchefficace
  9. Englishefficacy
  10. Englishinefficacy

From in- + efficacy.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Irish ainéifeacht
  • ainéifeachtthe condition of being ineffective
Italian inefficacia
  • inefficaciathe condition of being ineffective
Polish bezskuteczność
  • bezskutecznośćthe condition of being ineffective
Scottish Gaelic mì-thairbhe
  • mì-thairbhethe condition of being ineffective
Cite this entry
APA

inefficacy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inefficacy

MLA

“inefficacy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inefficacy. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inefficacy,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inefficacy.

Source: inefficacy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.