side effect

• side-effect

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side effect (plural side effects)

1. An unintended consequence, or secondary result, of any action, in addition to the main or intended consequence of that action.
   • 1987, Brundtland Report:

     The processing of certain raw materials - pulp and paper, oil, and alumina, for example - can have substantial environmental side effects.

   • 1980, Advanced Automation for Space Missions:

     A side effect of this architecture (which was designed only for efficient fabrication) is that it also performs automated repair.

   • 2007, Sylvia Escott-Stump, Nutrition and Diagnosis-Related Care‎:

     Useful for mild depression but may trigger coronary problems. A positive side effect is that it may actually help with degenerative joint disease symptoms.

   1. (medicine) An unintended consequence of a drug or therapy; usually an adverse effect, not a beneficial effect.

      Hyponym: adverse effect

   2. (programming) A change in state outside of the local environment of the function being called.

      The Eiffel programming language is somewhat purist in insisting that functions have no side effects.

• Adjectives often applied to "side effect": mild, moderate, serious, severe, dangerous, unpleasant, debilitating, negative, positive, nasty, bad, horrible, terrible, painful, unexpected, unintended, strong, obvious, etc.

• by-product

• aftereffect

• side-effecting