influence

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Archived revision by Rukhabot (talk | contribs) as of 07:05, 30 December 2019.
Jump to navigation Jump to search
See also: influencé

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old French influence (“emanation from the stars affecting one's fate”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Lua error in Module:parameters at line 95: Parameter 1 should be a valid language code; the value "ML." is not valid. See WT:LOL. īnfluentia, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin īnfluēns (“flowing in”), present active participle of īnfluō (“flow into”), from in- (“in-”) + fluō (“flow”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɪn.fl(j)u.əns/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Hyphenation: in‧flu‧ence

Noun

influence (countable and uncountable, plural influences)

  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.
    • 2013 July 26, Leo Hickman, “How algorithms rule the world”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 7, page 26:
      The use of algorithms in policing is one example of their increasing influence on our lives. And, as their ubiquity spreads, so too does the debate around whether we should allow ourselves to become so reliant on them – and who, if anyone, is policing their use.
    I have absolutely no influence over him.
  2. 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.
  3. A person or thing exerting such power or action.
    • 1943 November – 1944 February (date written; published 1945 August 17), George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], Animal Farm […], London: Secker & Warburg, published May 1962, →OCLC:
      The animals were thoroughly frightened. It seemed to them as though Snowball were some kind of invisible influence, pervading the air about them and menacing them with all kinds of dangers.
    • 2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:
      Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.
    He has been a great influence on the voters during the elections.
  4. (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.
  5. (obsolete) The action of flowing in; influx.
    • (Can we date this quote by Hooker and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      God hath his influence into the very essence of all things.
  6. (electricity) Electrostatic induction.

Usage notes

  • Adjectives often applied to "influence": cultural, political, social, economic, military, personal, moral, intellectual, mental, good, bad, positive, negative, beneficial, harmful, huge, big, heavy, significant, important, potential, actual, primary.

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

action of flowing in; influx — see influx
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Verb

Lua error in Module:en-headword at line 1152: Legacy parameter 1=STEM no longer supported, just use 'en-verb' without params

  1. (transitive) 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.
    The politician wants to influence the public.
    I must admit that this book influenced my outlook on life.
  2. (intransitive) To exert, make use of one's influence.
  3. (transitive, obsolete) To cause to flow in or into; infuse; instill.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

French

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old French, borrowed from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Lua error in Module:parameters at line 95: Parameter 1 should be a valid language code; the value "ML." is not valid. See WT:LOL. īnfluentia, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin īnfluēns (“flowing in”), present active participle of īnfluō (“flow into”), from in- (“in-”) + fluō (“flow”).

Pronunciation

Noun

influence f (plural influences)

  1. influence

Related terms

Verb

influence

  1. first-person singular present indicative of influencer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of influencer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of influencer
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of influencer
  5. second-person singular imperative of influencer

Further reading

Old French

Etymology

Borrowed from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Lua error in Module:parameters at line 95: Parameter 1 should be a valid language code; the value "ML." is not valid. See WT:LOL. īnfluentia, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin īnfluēns (“flowing in”), present active participle of īnfluō (“flow into”).

Noun

influence oblique singular, f (oblique plural influences, nominative singular influence, nominative plural influences)

  1. inundation; flooding; influx of water
  2. influence, especially viewed as a mystical force affecting one's fate
    Par l'influance des estoiles
    By the influence of the stars

Descendants

  • → English: influence
  • French: influence

References

  • Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l’ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IXe au XVe siècle (1881) (influence, supplement)
Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=influence&oldid=58256877"