Effort
late 15th century: from French, from Old French esforcier, based on Latin ex- ‘out’ + fortis ‘strong’.
wiktionary
From Middle French effort, from Old French esfort, deverbal of esforcier(“to force, exert”), from Vulgar Latin *exfortiō, from Latin ex + fortis(“strong”).
etymonline
effort (n.)
late 15c., "laborious attempt, strenuous exertion," from French effort, from Old French esforz "force, impetuosity, strength, power," verbal noun from esforcier "force out, exert oneself," from Vulgar Latin *exfortiare "to show strength" (source of Italian sforza), from Latin ex "out" (see ex-) + Latin fortis "strong" (see fort).
Effort is only effort when it begins to hurt. [José Ortega y Gasset, writing of Goethe in Partisan Review, vol. xvi, part ii, 1949]
Related: Efforts "voluntary exertion," also "result of exertion."
