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affiance

[ uh-fahy-uhns ]
/ əˈfaɪ əns /
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See synonyms for: affiance / affianced / affiancing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), af·fi·anced, af·fi·anc·ing.
to pledge by promise of marriage; betroth.
noun Archaic.
a pledging of faith, as a marriage contract.
trust; confidence; reliance.
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Origin of affiance

1300–50; Middle English <Middle French afiance, equivalent to afi(er) to pledge faith, declare on oath, betroth (<Medieval Latin affīdāre, equivalent to ad-ad- + *fīdāre, for Latin fīdere to trust; see confide) + -ance-ance
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use affiance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for affiance

affiance
/ (əˈfaɪəns) /

verb
(tr) to bind (a person or oneself) in a promise of marriage; betroth
noun
archaic a solemn pledge, esp a marriage contract

Word Origin for affiance

C14: via Old French from Medieval Latin affīdāre to trust (oneself) to, from fīdāre to trust, from fīdus faithful
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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