DictionaryRoot: facere
Latin

facere

do, make

Forms

  • fac-
  • fact- — Latin stem of the form meaning ‘done’ or ‘made.’
  • -fic- — Used in Latin compounds.
  • -fect- — Stem of the form meaning ‘done’ or ‘made’ in Latin compounds.
  • -fy — English ending developed from Latin -ficare, a formation based on this verb.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *dheh₁-, ‘put; set; do.’

Note

Especially productive in formations meaning ‘cause to become.’

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noun

significance

The importance of something.

The discovery has great significance for the study of early farming.

Etymology

The word's meaning-bearing sense developed into consequence or importance. Something significant matters because of what it implies or the effects it carries.

More examples

  • She explained the historical significance of the site.
  • The result had little practical significance.
  • We underestimated the significance of the warning.

Forms

significance

Similar words

importance
The direct everyday word for how much something matters.
weight
Weight figuratively emphasizes influence in a judgment.