efekts

Efekts is a noun used in Latvian and other languages to denote the result, consequence, or impact of a cause, process, or action. It can refer to any observable change produced by something else. As a common concept, efekts appears across science, technology, medicine, and everyday speech. The word derives from Latin effectus, via French effet and English effect; related cognates appear in several European languages, reflecting a shared root for the idea of causation and outcome.

In science, efekts describes an observable phenomenon produced by a cause, such as the gravitational effect, chemical effect, or photochemical effect. In medicine and pharmacology, one speaks of therapeutic effects and adverse effects—they are the positive or negative outcomes of a treatment.

In the arts and media, efekts is used to refer to techniques that create visible or audible changes for storytelling or realism, commonly called special effects. In economics, sociology, and environmental science, efekts denote indirect, side, or systemic impacts of policies, technologies, or events, including intended and unintended consequences.

The concept also intersects with causality and experimental design: researchers distinguish between correlation and causation to understand which efekts arise from which causes. See also effect, causality, side effects.