Definition of persuasion

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per·sua·sion    (pr-swzhn) KEY 

NOUN:

1. The act of persuading or the state of being persuaded: "The persuasion of a democracy to big changes is at best a slow process" (Harold J. Laski).
2. The ability or power to persuade: "Three foremost aids to persuasion which occur to me are humility, concentration, and gusto" (Marianne Moore).
3. A strongly held opinion; a conviction. See Synonyms at opinion.
4. 1. A body of religious beliefs; a religion: worshipers of various persuasions.
   2. A party, faction, or group holding to a particular set of ideas or beliefs.
5. Informal Kind; sort: "the place where ... rockers of any gender or persuasion can become megastars" (Christopher John Farley).

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ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old French, from Latin persusi, persusin-, from persusus, past participle of persudre, to persuade ; see persuade