side effect meaning

UK /saɪd ɪˈfɛkt/ US /saɪd ɪˈfɛkt/ 3 syllables

side effect (noun): a secondary and usually adverse effect of a drug or therapy.

side effect has 2 meanings in this dictionary.

side effect as a noun

  1. a secondary and usually adverse effect of a drug or therapy
    • severe headaches are one of the side effects of the drug

    Type of: effect

    Kinds: hairy tongue

  2. any adverse and unwanted secondary effect
    • a strategy to contain the fallout from the accounting scandal

    Synonyms: fallout

    Type of: consequence

How to pronounce side effect

side effect is pronounced /saɪd ɪˈfɛkt/ in British English and /saɪd ɪˈfɛkt/ in American English. It has 3 syllables.

More about side effect on Wikipedia.