induce

verb in·duce \in-ˈdüs, -ˈdyüs\

: to cause (someone or something) to do something

: to cause (something) to happen or exist

medical : to give (a pregnant woman) special medicine in order to make her give birth : to cause (labor or birth) to begin by giving special drugs to a pregnant woman

in·ducedin·duc·ing

Full Definition of INDUCE

transitive verb

a : to move by persuasion or influence

b : to call forth or bring about by influence or stimulation

a : effect, cause

b : to cause the formation of

c : to produce (as an electric current) by induction

: to determine by induction; specifically : to infer from particulars

See induce defined for English-language learners

See induce defined for kids

Origin of INDUCE

Middle English, from Anglo-French inducer, from Latin inducere, from in- + ducere to lead — more at tow

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to INDUCE

Synonyms: beget, breed, bring, bring about, bring on, catalyze, cause, create, do, draw on, effectuate, engender, generate, effect, invoke, make, occasion, produce, prompt, result (in), spawn, translate (into), work, yield

Other Logic Terms

a posteriori, connotation, corollary, inference, mutually exclusive, paradox, postulate, syllogism

Rhymes with INDUCE

Aarhus, abstruse, abuse, adduce, Atreus, blue spruce, burnoose, caboose, Cayuse, Cepheus, ceruse, charmeuse, chartreuse, Chartreuse, conduce, couscous, cut loose, deduce, diffuse, disuse, educe, effuse, excuse, fair use, footloose, hang loose, Lanús, misuse, mongoose, Morpheus, negus, obtuse, Orpheus, papoose, Peleus, Perseus, prepuce, produce, profuse, Proteus, Purus, recluse, red spruce, reduce, refuse, retuse, reuse, Sanctus, seduce, slip noose, snow goose, Tereus, Theseus, traduce, transduce, turn loose, unloose, vamoose

INDUCE Defined for Kids

induce

verb in·duce \in-ˈdüs, -ˈdyüs\

in·ducedin·duc·ing

Definition of INDUCE for Kids

: to cause to do something <Her pleas induced us to give.>

: to bring about <Warm milk induces sleepiness.>

: to produce (as an electric current) by induction

Word Root of INDUCE

The Latin word ducere, meaning “to lead,” and its form ductus give us the roots duc and duct. Words from the Latin ducere have something to do with leading. A duct is a tube that leads from one place or organ to another. To educate, or teach, is to lead to knowledge. To induce is to lead into a particular state.

Medical Dictionary

induce

transitive verb in·duce \in-ˈd(y)üs\

in·ducedin·duc·ing

Medical Definition of INDUCE

: to cause or bring about <anesthesia induced by drugs>: as a (1) : to cause the embryological formation of <the optic cup induces lens tissue in the adjacent ectoderm> (2) : to cause to form through embryonic induction <induce ectoderm to form a neural tube> b : to cause or initiate by artificial means <induced abortion> <induced labor>

: to produce anesthesia in <the patient was induced by a mixture of thiopental and curare>

Learn More About INDUCE

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for "induce"

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "induce"

Nglish: Translation of "induce" for Spanish speakers

Britannica English: Translation of "induce" for Arabic speakers

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