affectation

[af-ek-tey-shuhn]

See more synonyms for affectation on Thesaurus.com

noun

an effort to appear to have a quality not really or fully possessed; the pretense of actual possession: an affectation of interest in art; affectation of great wealth.
conspicuous artificiality of manner or appearance; effort to attract notice by pretense, assumption, or any assumed peculiarity.
a trait, action, or expression characterized by such artificiality: a man of a thousand affectations.

Obsolete.
1. strenuous pursuit, desire, or aspiration.
2. affection; fondness: his affectation of literature.

Origin of affectation

1540–50; < Latin affectātiōn- (stem of affectātiō) a striving after, equivalent to affectāt(us), past participle of affectāre to affect² (see -ate¹) + -iōn- -ion

Related formsnon·af·fec·ta·tion, noun

Can be confusedaffectation affection

Synonyms for affectation

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2. pretension, airs, mannerisms, pose.

Antonyms for affectation

2. artlessness, simplicity, sincerity.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for affectation

artificiality, show, pose, appearance, mannerism, simulation, insincerity, facade, pretentiousness, airs, imitation, pretension, front, put-on, air, pretense, sham

Examples from the Web for affectation

Contemporary Examples of affectation

What is a distinctive habit or affectation related to the writing process?
How I Write: Michael Connelly
Noah Charney
January 8, 2014
What is a distinctive habit or affectation of yours related to writing?
How I Write: Jared Diamond
Noah Charney
November 20, 2013
Saturn in your sign will keep things real, refining elements in your make-up that smack of affectation.
Horoscopes: The Week of March 27
Starsky + Cox
March 26, 2011

Historical Examples of affectation

But this is abnormal and rather an affectation of technical skill.
The Dramatic Values in Plautus
Wilton Wallace Blancke
There was no affectation of the fine lady in her self-reproach.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
There was no affectation of mystery, no attempt at keeping his experiments a secret.
Heroes of the Telegraph
J. Munro
The only source of the true Ridiculous (as it appears to me) is affectation.
Joseph Andrews Vol. 1
Henry Fielding
Their affectation is beyond the affectation of woman, and it makes all men sick.
Tales And Novels, Volume 9 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth

British Dictionary definitions for affectation

affectation

noun

an assumed manner of speech, dress, or behaviour, esp one that is intended to impress others
(often foll by of) deliberate pretence or false displayaffectation of nobility

Word Origin for affectation

C16: from Latin affectātiōn- an aiming at, striving after, from affectāre; see affect ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for affectation

"studied display," 1540s, from French affectation (16c.) or directly from Latin affectationem (nominative affectatio) "a striving after, a claiming," noun of action from past participle stem of affectare "to strive for" (see affect (v.2)).