influence
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
English
Etymology
From Middle English, from Old French influence (“‘emanation from the stars affecting one's fate’”), from Mediaeval Latin influentia, from Latin influens (“‘a flowing in’”), present participle of influere (“‘to flow into’”), from in- (“‘in-’”) + fluere (“‘to flow’”).
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈɪn.flu.əns/, SAMPA: /"In.flU.@ns/
- Audio (US)help, file
Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
influence (countable and uncountable; plural influences)
- 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.
- I have absolutely no influence over him.
- An action exerted by a person or thing with such power on another to cause change.
- I'm not able to exercise influence over him.
- A person or thing exerting such power or action.
- He has been a great influence on the voters during the elections.
- (astrology) 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.
- (obsolete) The action of flowing in ; influx.
- (electricity) electrostatic induction.
Related terms
- influencer
- influent
- influential, influentially
- social influence
- sphere of influence
- under the influence
Translations
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Verb
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Infinitive |
Third person singular |
Simple past |
Past participle |
Present participle |
to influence (third-person singular simple present influences, present participle influencing, simple past and past participle influenced)
- (transitive) To affect by gentle action ; to exert an influence upon ; to modify, bias, or sway ; to persuade or induce.
- The politician wants to influence the public.
- I must admit that this book influenced my outlook on life.
- (intransitive) To exert, make us of one's influence.
- (transitive, obsolete) To cause to flow in or into ; infuse ; instill.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
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French
Etymology
From Latin influentia, from influere "to flow into", itself from in- "in" + fluere "to flow"
Pronunciation
Noun
influence m. (plural influences)
- (An) influence.
Related terms
Verb form
influence
- imperative form of influencer
- singular present imperfect form of influencer
