affiliation
Americannoun
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affiliations
plural
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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interaffiliationnoun
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nonaffiliationnoun
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preaffiliationnoun
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reaffiliationnoun
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superaffiliationnoun
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of affiliation
First recorded in 1745–55; from Medieval Latin affīliātiōn-, stem of affīliātiō “adoption”; equivalent to affiliate + -ion
Explanation
An affiliation is an official connection to something. To have an affiliation to something is to be affiliated with it. The Tea Party pretty clearly has an affiliation with the Republican Party. You can be connected to all sorts of things, but to have an affiliation is to have an official connection. A local church might have an affiliation with a larger religious organization. A bunch of small groups might share an affiliation with a larger one, as in the case of baseball teams and the leagues they belong to. Often you'll hear politicians denying any affiliation with certain groups, places, or companies, because they want to appear neutral. If you have an affiliation with something, you're likely to pay it extra attention.
Vocabulary lists containing affiliation
President Obama's Farewell Address
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Legend
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Dear Martin
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He also said he launched an investigation into recent affiliation switches.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
"Our love and affiliation will remain with Mr Khan," he added.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
A second draft of the letter, dated March 4, contained altered language providing that the voter information would be “transferred” to HSI, with one exception: Voters’ party affiliation would be redacted, if possible, it said.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
It gained £4.9m in affiliation fees in 2024, according to its most recent annual accounts.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
I will become their daughter, though I never can bring myself to call them Mother and Father—our affiliation feels too formal for that.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
Even the public versions, which political parties and candidates routinely obtain to target ads and messages, included voters’ addresses, birth dates and party affiliations.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
A poll last year found no change in South Koreans' religious affiliations, with 16 percent identifying as Buddhist.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
Additional company affiliations and potential conflicts of interest are detailed in the published study.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 3, 2026
The indictment did not reference any alleged gang affiliations or connections to a murder.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 2, 2026
I wanted these young men to see that the ANC was a great tent that could accommodate many different views and affiliations.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
