{"id":4545,"date":"2026-08-08T13:31:07","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T13:31:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4545"},"modified":"2026-08-08T13:31:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T13:31:07","slug":"adventures-in-etymology-influence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4545","title":{"rendered":"Adventures in Etymology &#8211; Influence"},"content":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventures in Etymology &amp;#8211; Influence\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2026-08-08T13:31:07+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT2M23S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure in Etymology we discover the origins of the word influence.\n\n\n\nInfluence [\u02c8\u026an.flu.\u0259ns] can refer to the power to affect, control or manipulate something or someone; an action exerted by a person or thing on another to cause change, ...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/influence.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.2\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_9180\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4545-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/influence.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/influence.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/influence.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/influence.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4545-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/influence.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"influence.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure in Etymology we discover the origins of the word <strong>influence<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wiredforsound23\/52403340969\/in\/photolist-2nQGPyM-LH1Hjv-Ywy6nY-637Snf-2rq9vkx-8vNtk1-Ls1mgR-anuoGM-meV34-2gFqTwZ-4RTAqZ-4FBBR8-bbaPWc-6XESSt-2bzDycS-2orqdJp-2ozxLSM-MshyX-2owp5GJ-2jp3mpQ-2m4ZLfm-2nBRKzS-2oa9dr2-69XXj2-66k5vi-bVJNM9-2jySuTp-9snqQr-2r7JDWH-2r7CpvT-2pZQt2W-2Jwb46-bVKrSY-bVKLJN-bVJPD1-2r7JFU5-2r7JEMf-2r7HVSg-bVKMBw-2r7Cvuw-2nBRKCn-bVKt3h-4TeaVp-bVJTcN-bVKLDb-bVKEkE-bVKAuA-bVKz1h-2nBRKJ4-2nBLNfY\" title=\"Influence\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52403340969_b9c96c655c_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"291\" alt=\"Influence\"\/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong>Influence<\/strong> [\u02c8\u026an.flu.\u0259ns] can refer to the power to affect, control or manipulate something or someone; an action exerted by a person or thing on another to cause change, or a person or thing exerting such power or action.<\/p>\n<p>In astrology, <strong>influence<\/strong> is apparently an element believed to determine someone&#8217;s character or individual tendencies, caused by the position of the stars and planets at the time of one&#8217;s birth, and it used to mean the action of flowing in or an influx.<\/p>\n<p>As a verb <strong>to influence<\/strong> can mean to have an effect on by using gentle or subtle action; to modify, bias or sway; to persuade or induce; to exert or make use of one&#8217;s influence, and it used to mean to cause to flow in, to infuse or to instill.<\/p>\n<p>It comes from Middle English <em>influence \/ influens<\/em> (control, power, influence, flowing, influx), from Old French <em>influence<\/em> (inundation, flooding, influence, especially viewed as a mystical force affecting one&#8217;s fate), from Medieval Latin <em>\u012bnfluentia<\/em> (influence), from Latin <em>\u012bnflu\u0113ns<\/em> (flowing into), from <em>\u012bnflu\u014d<\/em> (to flow into, stream, rush, throng), from <em>in<\/em> (in, within) and <em>flu\u014d<\/em> (to flow, stream, pour) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/index#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Words from the same Latin roots include <strong>influx<\/strong> and <strong>influenza<\/strong> in English, <strong>influencia<\/strong> (influence, clout, leverage) and <strong>influjo<\/strong> (influx, sway, influence) in Spanish, <strong>influenza<\/strong> (influence, influenza) in Italian, <strong>influer<\/strong> (to influence) in French [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/influo#Latin\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Other words with similarly fluid roots (<em>flu\u014d<\/em> in Latin) include <strong>fluid<\/strong>, <strong>flume<\/strong>, <strong>flux<\/strong>, <strong>affluent<\/strong>, <strong>effluent<\/strong>, <strong>confluent<\/strong>, <strong>superfluous<\/strong> in English, <strong>confluir<\/strong> (to converge) in Catalan, and <strong>fiume<\/strong> (river) in Italian [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/fluo#Latin\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Incidentally, this is the <strong>200th episode<\/strong> of the Adventures in Etymology podcast. You can find links to all previous episodes on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?page_id=2614\">Adventures in Etymology<\/a> page of this blog.<\/p>\n<p>If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/uk\/cgi-bin\/webscr?cmd=_flow&amp;SESSION=aLjPfXL-vP_1gQ_U23Iz8_hSWLlhzLHPMFZrt32dIEfG8htoNFLYaPoWkv8&amp;dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8def8934b92a630e40b7fef61ab7e9fe63\">PayPal<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/omniglot\">Patreon<\/a>, or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/donations.htm\">contribute to Omniglot in other ways<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with <a href=\"https:\/\/blubrry.com\/services\/podcast-hosting\/?code=omniglot\">Blubrry Podcast Hosting<\/a>, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code <strong>omniglot<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.japanesepod101.com\/member\/go.php?r=759259&amp;i=b0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/images\/banners\/banner_japanesepod.jpg\" alt=\"The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com\" width=\"630\" height=\"83\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/\">Omniglot Blog<\/a>, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/\">Celtiadur<\/a> blog.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- Blog horizontal --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"1685480124\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventures in Etymology &amp;#8211; Influence\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2026-08-08T13:31:07+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT2M23S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure in Etymology we discover the origins of the word influence.\n\n\n\nInfluence [\u02c8\u026an.flu.\u0259ns] can refer to the power to affect, control or manipulate something or someone; an action exerted by a person or thing on another to cause change, ...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/influence.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.2\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_9181\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4545-2\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/influence.mp3?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/influence.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/influence.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/influence.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4545-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/influence.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"influence.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure in Etymology we discover the origins of the word influence. Influence [\u02c8\u026an.flu.\u0259ns] can refer to the power to affect, control or manipulate something or someone; an action exerted by a person or thing on another to cause change, or a person or thing exerting such power or action. In astrology, influence is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[98,115,20,23,12,4,50,58,109,474],"tags":[107,90,476,475,167,88,8,93,103],"class_list":["post-4545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventures-in-etymology","category-catalan-catala","category-english","category-french","category-italian","category-language","category-latin","category-middle-english","category-old-french-franceis","category-spanish-espanol","tag-adventures","tag-etymology","tag-fluid","tag-influence","tag-linguistics","tag-omniglot","tag-podcast","tag-radio","tag-words"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4545"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4545\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4547,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4545\/revisions\/4547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}