influenza

influence

noun een-floo-EHN-tsah Less Common

Origin: from Medieval Latin influentia

Also means

flu

Usage Note

Influenza is a handy double word: it means 'influence' but is also the everyday term for the illness 'flu', as in ho preso l'influenza. English borrowed 'influenza' for the disease sense directly from this Italian word.

Examples

"Quest'inverno ho avuto l'influenza."

Natural Translation

This winter I had the flu.

Literal Translation

This-winter have-I had the-flu.

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