Inflict
verbTo cause something painful or unwelcome to be suffered by someone or something.
How to spell inflict
7 letters · 2 syllables
How to pronounce inflict
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does inflict mean?
- verbTo cause something painful or unwelcome to be suffered by someone or something.
Inflict in a sentence
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The storm could inflict serious damage on the coastal homes.
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Managers should never inflict public criticism on their staff.
Where does inflict come from?
Language of origin: Latin
The word comes from the Latin infligere, meaning 'to strike against' or 'to dash upon', formed from the prefix in- ('on' or 'against') joined to the verb fligere, which literally meant 'to strike' or 'to beat'. English adopted it in the mid-1500s, using the past participle stem inflictus, and the early sense was very physical: to lay a blow on someone or to deal out a wound. Over time it broadened to cover imposing anything unwelcome, such as pain, punishment, damage, or even an unwanted opinion. The same fligere root sits inside its close relatives 'afflict', 'conflict', and 'profligate', which is why their middle sections look so alike. Remembering that buried -flict means 'strike' helps fix the spelling, since the c before the t is sounded clearly rather than silent.
How the word is built
- in- (on, upon)
- flict (from Latin fligere: to strike)
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