affiliation
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
- interaffiliation noun
- nonaffiliation noun
- preaffiliation noun
- reaffiliation noun
- superaffiliation noun
Etymology
Origin of affiliation
First recorded in 1745–55; from Medieval Latin affīliātiōn-, stem of affīliātiō “adoption”; equivalent to affiliate + -ion
Explanation
An affiliation is an official connection to something. To have an affiliation to something is to be affiliated with it. The Tea Party pretty clearly has an affiliation with the Republican Party. You can be connected to all sorts of things, but to have an affiliation is to have an official connection. A local church might have an affiliation with a larger religious organization. A bunch of small groups might share an affiliation with a larger one, as in the case of baseball teams and the leagues they belong to. Often you'll hear politicians denying any affiliation with certain groups, places, or companies, because they want to appear neutral. If you have an affiliation with something, you're likely to pay it extra attention.
Vocabulary lists containing affiliation
President Obama's Farewell Address
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Legend
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Dear Martin
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He also said that he hadn't said that he was a "practising" barrister and that his professional affiliation with Lextel Solicitors had "ceased a long time ago".
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
Others say party affiliation is less of an issue.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
At the time, Al Jazeera and Hamas denied Wishah had any affiliation with the group.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
Five states, meanwhile, have provided publicly available voter information – name, address and party affiliation – to the DOJ while withholding more sensitive information.
From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026
It let them know that, regardless of my school affiliation, I still understood.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
