Etymologically
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influo

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈĩː.fɫu.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈiɱ.flu.o][1]

Forms

īnfluō (present infinitive īnfluere, perfect active īnflūxī, supine īnflūxum); third conjugation, third person-only in the passive[1]

Etymology

It is from in- “in, into” and fluō “to flow”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLL dates it from Cicero, and the OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, as his Hypanis in Pontum īnfluit “the Hypanis flows into the Black Sea”.[3][2][4] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to flow in, of rivers and the sea, and of blood flowing from the liver, as in Cicero.[2][4] In Cicero it meant of people to stream in, and in Vitruvius of wealth to pour in.[2] In Cicero it also meant of words and ideas to sink in, penetrate.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to flow or run into.[6] It survives in Italian influire and Spanish influir.[1] Through Medieval Latin īnfluentia and Old French influence it gave English influence in the late 14th century, an astrological term for power streaming from the stars.[7]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a river flowing into the sea.[2][4][5]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of wealth pouring in.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English influence is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To flow in.[2]
  2. To stream in; to pour in.[2]
  3. Of words or ideas, to sink in, penetrate.[2]

Word family

  • influus
  • influxio
  • īnfluxus
  • affluō
  • circumfluō
  • cōnfluō
  • dēfluō
  • diffluō
  • effluō
  • fluō
  • interfluō
  • perfluō
  • praefluō
  • English influence
  • English influx

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com