affection

¹

[uh-fek-shuhn]

noun

1. fond attachment, devotion, or love.

   the affection of a parent for an only child.

   Synonyms: friendship, fondness, amity, friendliness, liking
   Antonyms: dislike

2. Often affections

   1. emotion; feeling; sentiment.

      over and above our reason and affections.

   2. the emotional realm of love.

      a place in his affections.

3. Pathology.,  a disease, or the condition of being diseased; abnormal state of body or mind.

   a gouty affection.

4. the act of affecting; act of influencing or acting upon.

5. the state of being affected.

6. Philosophy.,  a contingent, alterable, and accidental state or quality of being.

7. the affective aspect of a mental process.

8. bent or disposition of mind.

9. Obsolete.,  bias; prejudice.

affection

²

[uh-fek-shuhn]

noun

Obsolete.

1. affectation.

affection

/ əˈfɛkʃən /

noun

1. a feeling of fondness or tenderness for a person or thing; attachment

2. (often plural) emotion, feeling, or sentiment

   to play on a person's affections

3. pathol any disease or pathological condition

4. psychol any form of mental functioning that involves emotion See also affect 1

5. the act of affecting or the state of being affected

6. archaic,  inclination or disposition

Other Word Forms

• affectionless adjective
• affectional adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of affection¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin affectiōn- (stem of affectiō ) “disposition or state of mind or body”; affect ¹, -ion

Origin of affection²

First recorded in 1525–35; affect ² + -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of affection¹

C13: from Latin affectiōn- disposition, from afficere to _affect ¹

Example Sentences

Locals in Pawleys Island have a special affection for classic vehicles.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It treats gift-giving not as a theatrical display of affection but an opportunity to serve one another.

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And expect further public displays of financial affection from arms companies awaiting the administration’s final verdict on Golden Dome contracts, which will likely be announced in early 2026.

Read more on Salon

Australians had organically adopted "Bom" as a term of affection, like a nickname for a friend, he said.

Read more on BBC

What made the musical so fresh was the inventive manner in which Mr. Groff made his own personal affection for Darin a new and crucial ingredient in a familiar recipe.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• care 
• closeness 
• desire 
• devotion 
• emotion 
• feeling 
• friendship 
• good will www.thesaurus.com
• kindness 
• love 
• passion 
• sentiment 
• tenderness www.thesaurus.com
• warmth 

When To Use

What are other ways to say affection?

Affection refers to fond attachment, as of one person to another. How is affection different from love and devotion? Find out on Thesaurus.com.