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

Moroccan authorities meanwhile made no comment and "preferred not to get involved in this football affair" following the CAF decision, Daouda said.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

While Thursday's play-off semi-final against Bosnia promises to be a tighter affair, Wales have the memory of previous campaigns to know they can find different ways of winning.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

The TV personality and screenwriter, 61, said coming up with an idea for a new movie was a family affair that also involved his son, screenwriter Peter McGee.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s Homeland Security confirmation process was setting up to be a sleepy affair.

From Slate • Mar. 21, 2026

As he was the person most in charge of Walter's wrongful prosecution and conviction, it was hard to reconcile his immunity with his culpability in the whole affair, but there was little we could do.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

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