Efficacious

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Efficacious \Ef`fi*ca"cious\, a. [L. eficax, -acis, fr.
     efficere. See {Effect}, n.]
     Possessing the quality of being effective; productive of, or
     powerful to produce, the effect intended; as, an efficacious
     law.
  


     Syn: See {Effectual}. -- {Ef`fi*ca"cious*ly}, adv.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  efficacious
       adj 1: marked by qualities giving the power to produce an intended
              effect; "written propaganda is less efficacious than
              the habits and prejudices...of the readers"-Aldous
              Huxley; "the medicine is efficacious in stopping a
              cough" [ant: {inefficacious}]
       2: producing or capable of producing an intended result or
          having a striking effect; "an air-cooled motor was more
          effective than a witch's broomstick for rapid
          long-distance transportation"-LewisMumford; "effective
          teaching methods"; "effective steps toward peace"; "made
          an effective entrance"; "his complaint proved to be
          effectual in bringing action"; "an efficacious law" [syn:
          {effective}, {effectual}] [ant: {ineffective}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  44 Moby Thesaurus words for "efficacious":
     able, active, adequate, authoritative, capable, charismatic,
     charming, competent, consequential, effective, effectual,
     efficient, enchanting, equal to, estimable, functional, go,
     important, influential, magnetic, momentous, operational,
     operative, personable, persuasive, potent, powerful, practical,
     prestigious, productive, proficient, puissant, reputable,
     serviceable, strong, suasive, substantial, successful, telling,
     up to, useful, virtuous, weighty, winning