From Middle English influence, from Old French influence, from Medieval Latin īnfluentia, from Latin īnfluēns, present active participle of īnfluō ("flow into"), from in- ("in-") + fluō ("flow").

• IPA: /ˈɪn.flu.əns/
• (America, nonstandard) IPA: /ɪnˈflu.əns/

influence

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.

   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.

   He has been a great influence on the voters during the elections.

   • 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.

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.
   • 1594–1597, Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC ↗, (please specify the page):

     God hath his influence into the very essence of all things.

6. (electricity) Electrostatic induction.

• French: influence
• German: Einfluss
• Italian: influenza, ascendente
• Portuguese: influência
• Russian: влия́ние
• Spanish: influencia

• French: influence
• German: Beeinflussung
• Italian: influenza
• Portuguese: influência
• Russian: влия́ние
• Spanish: influencia

• German: Einfluss, Beeinflusser
• Portuguese: influência
• Spanish: influencia

• German: Einfluss

• Russian: инду́кция

influence (influences, present participle influencing; simple past and past participle influenced)

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.

• influent
• influential
• influenza, flu

• French: influencer, influer
• German: beeinflussen
• Italian: influenzare
• Portuguese: influenciar, influir
• Russian: влия́ть
• Spanish: influir, influenciar

• German: beeinflussen
• Italian: influire
• Portuguese: influenciar
• Russian: влия́ть
• Spanish: influir