affair

American  

[uh-fair] / əˈfɛər /

noun

1. anything done or to be done; anything requiring action or effort; business; concern.

   an affair of great importance.

2. affairs, matters of commercial or public interest or concern; the transactions of public or private business or finance.

   affairs of state; Before taking such a long trip you should put all your affairs in order.

3. an event or a performance; a particular action, operation, or proceeding.

   When did this affair happen?

4. thing; matter (applied to anything made or existing, usually with a descriptive or qualifying term).

   Our new computer is an amazing affair.

5. a private or personal concern; a special function, business, or duty.

   That's none of your affair.

6. an intense amorous relationship, usually of short duration.

7. an event or happening that occasions or arouses notoriety, dispute, and often public scandal; incident.

   the Congressional bribery affair.

8. a party, social gathering, or other organized festive occasion.

   The awards ceremony is the biggest affair on the school calendar.

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affair British  

/ əˈfɛə /

noun

1. a thing to be done or attended to; matter; business

   this affair must be cleared up

2. an event or happening

   a strange affair

3. (qualified by an adjective or descriptive phrase) something previously specified, esp a man-made object; thing

   our house is a tumbledown affair

4. a sexual relationship between two people who are not married to each other

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Etymology

Origin of affair

1250–1300; earlier affaire < French, Old French afaire for a faire to do, equivalent to a (< Latin ad to) + faire ≪ Latin facere; replacing Middle English afere < Old French

Example Sentences

Attention now shifts to the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo meeting and a work conference focused on economic affairs later this month.

From The Wall Street Journal

The protests are often heated affairs - heavily policed, with counter protesters on the other side.

From BBC

William, worried about the growing antagonism between English and Scots over the affair, pushed for a political union between the two countries.

From The Wall Street Journal

Parliament is also investigating the affair to determine whether any politicians bear criminal responsibility.

From Barron's

Monday's meeting in Berlin will involve Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, German chancellor Friedrich Merz, as well as the Polish ministers of foreign affairs and defence, according to the Office of the Federal Chancellor.

From Barron's

Related Words

• case
• employment
• event
• incident
• interest
• proceeding
• project
• question
• subject
• task
• thing
• topic
• transaction