Inefficient — In ef*fi cient, a. 1. Not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired, or achieiving the effect by unnnecessary and excessive expenditure of resources; inefficacious; as, inefficient means or measures; inefficient methods are too… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
inefficient — in‧ef‧fi‧cient [ˌɪnˈfɪʆnt◂] adjective producing goods or working in a way that uses more time, money etc than necessary: • the assumption that the public sector is wasteful, inefficient and unproductive inefficiently adverb inefficiency noun… … Financial and business terms
inefficient — ⇒INEFFICIENT, ENTE, adj. Rare. Qui ne produit pas réellement un effet; dont l action n aboutit à aucun résultat. Anton. efficient. L étude très intelligente, mais un peu flasque et inefficiente de René Berthelot (GIDE, Journal, 1929, p. 906). L… … Encyclopédie Universelle
inefficient — index inadept, incompetent, inept (incompetent), otiose, unable, unavailing, unproductive, unqualified … Law dictionary
inefficient — (adj.) 1750, not producing the desired effect, from IN (Cf. in ) (1) not, opposite of + EFFICIENT (Cf. efficient). Related: Inefficiency (1749); inefficiently … Etymology dictionary
inefficient — ineffective, ineffectual, inefficacious Analogous words: incompetent, unqualified, incapable: infirm, decrepit, feeble, *weak: indolent, slothful, faineant, *lazy: remiss, lax, slack, *negligent, neglectful Antonyms: efficient Contrasted words:… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
inefficient — [adj] not working well; wasteful can’t hack it*, careless, disorganized, extravagant, faulty, feeble, half baked*, improficient, improvident, incapable, incompetent, ineffective, ineffectual, inefficacious, inept, inexpert, not cut out for*,… … New thesaurus
inefficient — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ not achieving maximum productivity; failing to make the best use of time or resources. DERIVATIVES inefficiency noun inefficiently adverb … English terms dictionary
inefficient — [in΄e fish′ənt, in΄i fish′ənt] adj. not efficient; specif., a) not producing the desired effect with a minimum use of energy, time, etc.; ineffective b) lacking the necessary ability; unskilled; incapable inefficiency n. inefficiently adv … English World dictionary
inefficient — adjective a) Not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired; inefficacious; as, inefficient means or measures. Celery is an inefficient food. b) Incapable of, or indisposed to, effective action … Wiktionary
inefficient — adjective Date: 1750 not efficient: as a. not producing the effect intended or desired b. wasteful of time or energy < inefficient operating procedures > c. incapable, incompetent < an inefficient worker > • inefficient noun • inefficiently … New Collegiate Dictionary