affection

¹

[ uh-fek-shuhn ]

noun

1. fond attachment, devotion, or love:

   the affection of a parent for an only child.

   Synonyms: friendliness, friendship, fondness, amity, liking

   Antonyms: dislike

2. Often affections.
   1. emotion; feeling; sentiment:

      over and above our reason and affections.

   2. the emotional realm of love:

      a place in his affections.

3. Pathology. a disease, or the condition of being diseased; abnormal state of body or mind:

   a gouty affection.

4. the act of affecting; act of influencing or acting upon.
5. the state of being affected.
6. Philosophy. a contingent, alterable, and accidental state or quality of being.
7. the affective aspect of a mental process.
8. bent or disposition of mind.
9. Obsolete. bias; prejudice.

affection

²

[ uh-fek-shuhn ]

noun

, Obsolete.

1. affectation ( defs 1, 2, 3 ).

affection

/ əˈfɛkʃən /

noun

1. a feeling of fondness or tenderness for a person or thing; attachment
2. often plural emotion, feeling, or sentiment

   to play on a person's affections

3. pathol any disease or pathological condition
4. psychol any form of mental functioning that involves emotion See also affect 1
5. the act of affecting or the state of being affected
6. archaic.
   inclination or disposition

Derived Forms

• afˈfectional, adjective

Other Words From

• af·fection·less adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of affection¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin affectiōn- (stem of affectiō ) “disposition or state of mind or body”; affect ¹, -ion

Origin of affection²

First recorded in 1525–35; affect ² + -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of affection¹

C13: from Latin affectiōn- disposition, from afficere to affect ¹

Example Sentences

Zuckerberg has a history of elaborote displays of affection for his other half.

From BBC

She held a special place in the nation’s heart as queen of its longest-running radio drama, and was thought of with enormous affection by her fellow cast members.

From BBC

Terril Jones, a graduate of the class of 1980 and a former member of the Pomona College Alumni Assn., said he worries that wearing his 47 hat in public might be seen as a political statement instead of a show of affection for his alma mater.

From Los Angeles Times

Many of them seem to desperately want female affection, approval, and perhaps most of all respect—but having not exactly earned it, long for a time when female deference was essentially mandatory.

From Slate

“The family thanks everyone for this outpouring of affection.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• care
• closeness
• desire
• devotion
• emotion
• feeling
• friendship
• good will
• kindness
• love
• passion
• sentiment
• tenderness
• warmth