convince

/kənˈvɪns/kuhn-VINS

Meaningto overcome completely

Common meaning: to make someone believe

conwith, together; thoroughly
vincto conquer, overcomeLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1991 · scan

‘with, together’ + ‘to conquer, overcome’ → convince

Journey through time

Latinvincō, vīcī, victum‘to conquer, overcome’
Englishconvince‘to make someone believe’ · today

con- also in: convex convey concave conceal concede

vinc also in: victor victory province vanquish invincible

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin vincō ‘to conquer, overcome’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry vincō, p. 1991 · dictionary scan; Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry PROVINCE, p. 473 · dictionary scan

Roots

vincō, vīcī, victum Latin “to conquer, overcome”

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