Persuasion

How to spell persuasion

10 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce persuasion

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does persuasion mean?

1. nounThe act or process of convincing someone to believe or do something through reasoning or appeal.
2. nounA particular set of beliefs, opinions, or a group holding them.

Persuasion in a sentence

• After much gentle persuasion, she agreed to take the new job.

• People of every political persuasion attended the public forum.

• The sales team relied on persuasion rather than pressure to close deals.

• The club welcomed members of any religious persuasion.

Where does persuasion come from?

Language of origin: Latin

The word traces back to the Latin verb persuadere, meaning 'to convince thoroughly', formed from per-, an intensifying prefix meaning 'thoroughly' or 'completely', and suadere, meaning 'to advise' or 'to urge'. The noun form persuasio described the act of bringing someone round to a belief by reasoning or appeal. English took the word in during the 1400s, partly through Old French, where it had already softened into persuasion. Interestingly, suadere is related to the Latin suavis, meaning 'sweet' or 'agreeable', so at its heart the idea is one of winning people over by making an argument pleasant rather than forcing it. The spelling trap lives in the middle: the soft -suas- is pronounced with a 'zh' sound, which tempts writers toward an extra letter or a misplaced 'z'.

How the word is built

• per- (thoroughly)
• suas- (from suadere: to advise, to urge)
• -ion (noun-forming suffix)