affair

[uh-fair]

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.

affair

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of affair¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of affair¹

C13: from Old French, from à faire to do

Example Sentences

The Dutch government said its economic affairs ministry had invoked its Goods Availability Act over "acute signals of serious governance shortcomings" within Nexperia.

Read more on BBC

A public affairs officer for the base said it remains committed to water conservation efforts and looks for new technologies to reduce water use.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"I believe its continued attempts to maintain influence by any means, including involvement in security affairs, could ultimately jeopardise the agreement and plunge Gaza's residents into even greater suffering," he said.

Read more on BBC

The WFP, which leads the group of organisations handling food security, has begun discussions with COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry agency for civilian affairs in the territories.

Read more on Barron's

The ministries of foreign affairs and commerce did not comment when asked about it by AFP on Saturday.

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Related Words

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