See tag efficient
Definitions
capable of producing desired results with little or no waste (as of time or materials)
Efficiency is the often measurable ability to avoid wasting materials, energy, efforts, money, and time in doing something or in producing a desired result. In a more general sense, it is the ability to do things well, successfully, and without waste.
Sometimes efficiency is misunderstood for effectiveness: Therefore, please remember:
Efficiency is doing things right, while effectiveness is doing the right things.
The words effective and efficient both mean “capable of producing a result,” but there is an important difference. Effective means “producing a result that is wanted”. Efficient means “capable of producing desired results without wasting materials, time, or energy”.
The difference is that when something is effective it produces a result even if it takes some unnecessary resources to do so. When something is efficient, not only does it produce a result, but it does so in a quick or simple way using as little material, time, effort, or energy as possible. The following example sentences show how the two words are used.