ineffiziente

Ineffiziente is a German adjective meaning "inefficient." It describes processes, systems, or practices that do not use time, energy, money, or materials in an optimal way, resulting in waste, delays, or higher costs. In everyday language it is commonly used to criticize methods or technologies that fail to perform effectively, and it also appears as a technical term in economics, engineering, and management.

Grammatically, ineffiziente is the feminine singular form of ineffizient used before feminine nouns (for example, eine ineffiziente Methode). The masculine, neuter, and plural forms have different endings. The corresponding noun is Ineffizienz, which denotes the state or quality of being inefficient.

Contexts: In business and economics, ineffiziente processes or production lines reduce productivity and profitability. In energy and manufacturing, ineffiziente Komponenten draw more power or consume more material than necessary. In public administration, ineffiziente procedures slow service delivery and waste resources. The opposite concept is Effizienz (efficiency).

Related terms include effizient (efficient) and Ineffizienz (inefficiency). The word sits within discussions of performance, productivity, and resource management, and is often contrasted with aims to improve optimization, lean processes, or innovation aimed at reducing waste.