Other forms: induced, induces, inducing
To induce is to bring about a state, or to persuade somebody into acting. Induce labour, induce sleep, induce them to sign.
In medicine it is the standard word for starting something deliberately: inducing labour, inducing vomiting, an induced coma. In persuasion it is formal and often legal — induced to sign, inducement. In logic, induction is reasoning from particular cases to a general rule, which is the opposite direction from deduction. Note inducement, induction; and that inductive reasoning never proves, it only supports.
1verbinduceTo bring about a state deliberately.
“Labour was induced at about forty-one weeks.”
2verbpersuadeTo persuade somebody into acting.
“Nothing could induce him to go back to that awful hotel.”
induce is a bringing about.
Also accepted in games: cause, prompt
Latin inducere is in plus ducere, to lead. Produce, reduce, conduct and duke come from the same leading, so to induce is to lead somebody into something.
Proto-Indo-European
*dewk-
Latin
indūcō — lead in, bring in, introduce
Middle English
enducen
English, today
induce
Built from
From Middle English enducen, borrowed from Latin indūcō (“lead in, bring in, introduce”), from in + dūcō (“lead, conduct”). Compare also abduce, adduce, conduce, deduce, produce, reduce etc. Doublet of endue.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA