English Explanatory Dictionary

influence

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The power to affect, control or manipulate something or someone; the ability to change the development of fluctuating things such as conduct, thoughts or decisions.
  2. An action exerted by a person or thing with such power on another to cause change.
  3. A person or thing exerting such power or action.
  4. An element believed to determine someone's character or individual tendencies, caused by the position of the stars and planets at the time of one's birth.
  5. The action of flowing in; influx.
  6. Electrostatic induction.
verb
  1. To have an effect on by using gentle or subtle action; to exert an influence upon; to modify, bias, or sway; to persuade or induce.
  2. To exert, make use of one's influence.
  3. To cause to flow in or into; infuse; instill.

Pronunciation

/ˈɪn.flu.əns/ en-us-influence.ogg /ɪnˈflu.əns/

Word forms

influence influences influencing influenced

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Medieval Latin in- Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-der. Proto-Indo-European *bʰlewH-der. Proto-Indo-European *bʰluH-yé-ti? Medieval Latin fluō Medieval Latin īnfluōder. Medieval Latin īnfluēns Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Medieval Latin -ius Medieval Latin -ia Medieval Latin īnfluentiabor. Old French influenceder. Middle English influence English influence From Middle English influence, from Old French influence (“emanation from the stars affecting one's fate”), from Medieval Latin īnfluentia, from Latin īnfluēns (“flowing in”), present active participle of īnfluō (“flow into”), from in- (“in-”) + fluō (“flow”). Doublet of influenza.

Related words

inflood inflow influentially influent influential influenza flu

Derived words

agent of influence area of influence bad influence influenceless influence machine influence peddling kidfluence malinfluence noninfluence sphere of influence trading in influence traffic of influence under the influence undue influence uninfluence coinfluence counterinfluence influencer misinfluence thinkfluence influenceability influenceable influencee influencive interinfluence noninfluencing outinfluence overinfluence reinfluence uninfluencing
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