influenza English · revision 1887

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌɪn.fluˈɛn.zə/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|it|influenza|t=influence; epidemic]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|la-med|influentia|t=influence]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) so called from the belief that epidemics were caused by the influence of the stars.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) It is related to [[influence]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(AHD)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A highly contagious feverish disease occurring in widespread epidemics (1743).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word was borrowed during an outbreak that began in Italy and spread over Europe in 1743.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) In Italian it had been used for diseases since at least 1504, as in ''influenza di febbre scarlattina'' “scarlet fever”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) From the mid-19th century it was often applied to severe colds.^(Etymonline) It was also used figuratively of a prevailing craze (1774)^(OED 1989) and of a disease of horses (1872).^(OED 1989) The short form [[flu]] is now the usual everyday word.^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1504 – the Italian word used of diseases.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1743 – borrowed into English.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1774 – figurative, a prevailing craze.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1872 – a disease of horses.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An acute, highly contagious [[virus|alt=viral]] disease marked by inflammation of the [[respiratory]] tract, fever, aches and exhaustion, often occurring as an [[epidemic]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Any of various viral diseases of domestic animals, such as horses and swine, with fever and respiratory symptoms.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[influenzal]]

+ * [[parainfluenza]]

+ * [[avian influenza]]

+ * [[Spanish influenza]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[affluent]]

+ * [[confluence]]

+ * [[flu]]

+ * [[fluent]]

+ * [[fluid]]

+ * [[flux]]

+ * [[influence]]

+ * [[influx]]

+ * [[mellifluous]]

+ * [[superfluous]]

+ * [[grippe]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}