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affection

1
[ uh-fek-shuhn ]
/ əˈfɛk ʃən /
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See synonyms for: affection / affections on Thesaurus.com

noun
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Origin of affection

1
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin affectiōn- (stem of affectiō ) “disposition or state of mind or body”; see affect1, -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM affection

af·fec·tion·less, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH affection

affectation, affection

Other definitions for affection (2 of 2)

affection2
[ uh-fek-shuhn ]
/ əˈfɛk ʃən /

noun Obsolete.

Origin of affection

2
First recorded in 1525–35; affect2 + -ion
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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.

How to use affection in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for affection

affection
/ (əˈfɛkʃən) /

noun
a feeling of fondness or tenderness for a person or thing; attachment
(often plural) emotion, feeling, or sentimentto play on a person's affections
pathol any disease or pathological condition
psychol any form of mental functioning that involves emotionSee also affect 1 (def. 2)
the act of affecting or the state of being affected
archaic inclination or disposition

Derived forms of affection

affectional, adjective

Word Origin for affection

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