Influence

How to spell influence

9 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce influence

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does influence mean?

1. nounThe power to affect a person, thing, or outcome without using direct force.
2. verbTo have an effect on the character, behaviour, or outcome of something.

Influence in a sentence

• noun

  Her years abroad had a lasting influence on the way she cooks.

• verb

  Advertising can heavily influence what shoppers put in their baskets.

• noun

  The senator used his influence to push the bill through committee.

• verb

  A good mentor will influence the choices a young employee makes.

Where does influence come from?

Language of origin: Latin

Influence comes from the Medieval Latin influentia, which literally meant 'a flowing in'. That noun was built from the Latin verb influere, combining in- 'into' with fluere 'to flow', the same root that gives us 'fluid', 'fluent', and 'fluctuate'. The word began life in astrology: it named an invisible ethereal fluid that the stars and planets were believed to stream down onto people, shaping their character and fortunes. English borrowed it through Old French in the 1300s, and over time the supernatural sense faded, leaving the modern idea of one person or force quietly shaping another. The hidden 'flow' inside the spelling is a useful memory aid, since it explains both the -flu- in the middle and the soft -ence ending that trips writers up.

How the word is built

• in- (in, into)
• flu (from Latin fluere: to flow)
• -ence (noun suffix)