influere

Influere is a Latin verb meaning "to flow into" or "to pour into," formed from the prefix in- plus fluere, "to flow." In classical usage it describes liquids or substances entering a space or vessel and is also used figuratively for things that enter or influence a person, a place, or a situation. The form appears in Latin texts and, like other in- compounds with fluere, follows the ordinary patterns of Latin -ere verbs, though exact conjugations vary by tense and voice.

Etymology and legacy: The noun influentia, meaning "an inflow" or "influence," derives from influere and entered Latin as a technical term in contexts such as anatomy and astrology. The English noun influence ultimately comes from Late Latin influentia via Old French influence, carrying the sense of "a flowing in" and later extending to the figurative power to affect outcomes.

Modern context: In linguistic and etymological discussion, influere is cited to illustrate how Latin compounds with fluere produced a semantic shift from physical inflow to the figurative power to affect. In contemporary English, influence is the common form, while the Latin verb itself is primarily of scholarly interest for historical linguistics and Latin language study.

See also: influentia, inflow, influx, influence.

References: standard Latin dictionaries such as Lewis & Short; the Perseus Latin Dictionary; etymology resources on influence.