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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.’

102 / 119
adjective

significant

sig-NIF-ih-kuhnt/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/

Important or large enough to matter.

The support beam's significant crack draws urgent attention while minor scratches are ignored.

On a cluttered workbench, a large cracked support beam draws everyone's urgent attention while tiny scratches on loose scraps are ignored.
Etymology
signLatinmark, sign, or signal
+ificLatindo, make
+antLatindoing or being something

The roots combine as “making signs,” giving the earlier meaning “conveying meaning.” Something significant could carry a special meaning; from this developed the sense “important or weighty,” rather than merely indicating something.

In context

TED12:50
The site is a work in progress, but it's significant progress,
How a start-up in the White House is changing business as usual | Haley Van Dyck
TED11:42
only 60 percent, and that's a whopping significant difference.
Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are | Amy Cuddy | TED

More examples

  • Repairing the roof requires a significant amount of money.
  • Her discovery represents a significant advance in cancer treatment.
  • Even small delays become significant when the deadline is close.

Forms

significant · more significant · most significant

significance noun — The importance or impact of something.

significantly adverb — To an important or substantial degree.

Similar words

important
Stresses consequence or value rather than measurable size.
substantial
Emphasizes considerable size or amount rather than importance.