influence

Pronunciation: /ɪnˈflu.əns/

Reading level: medium

Estimated CEFR level: A2 — Elementary

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc
  2. noun causing something without any direct or apparent effort
  3. noun a cognitive factor that tends to have an effect on what you do

Etymology

From Middle English influence, from Old French influence (“emanation from the stars affecting one's fate”), from Medieval Latin īnfluentia, from Latin īnfluēns (“flowing in”), present active participle of īnfluō (“flow into”), from in- (“in-”) + fluō (“flow”). Doublet of influenza.

In classic literature

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
power
Narrower (hyponyms)
force, dead hand, grip

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