Ineffectivenesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The condition of being unable to produce the desired effect or result
2. The state of not achieving the intended purpose or outcome, resulting in inefficacy
3. A situation characterized by a lack of successful performance or functionality in a particular context

Etymology: "Ineffectivenesses" is simply the plural of "ineffectiveness," so it names several instances or kinds of the quality. The base word is "ineffective," formed from the prefix "in-" meaning "not" and "effective," which comes through Old French from Latin "effectivus," derived from "efficere," to accomplish or bring about. English has used "effective" since the late Middle Ages, and the negative "ineffective" followed by adding the suffix "-ness," a common way of turning an adjective into a noun of quality. Plural forms of abstract nouns like this are uncommon but grammatical. Writers use them when they want to refer to separate failures or separate cases of a lack of force or result, such as the ineffectivenesses of a series of policies.

Synonyms: ineffectuality, uselessness, futility, inefficacy, impotence

Antonyms: effectiveness, efficacy, success, productiveness, potency