| 词源 |
influenza. Influenza first entered the language about 1743, when an outbreak of “a contagious distemper” was reported in Rome. This was called “the Influenza” because it was believed to have been evilly “influenced” by the stars, and such occult influenzas were said to cause plagues and pestilences as well. The Italian word for influence, anglicized in pronunciation, be- came the English specific name. |