English Meaning & Definitions
A spontaneous or natural liking or sympathy for someone or something.
- “She felt a deep affinity for the quiet and contemplative nature of the countryside.”
- “Dogs have a natural affinity for human companionship.”
A similarity of characteristics suggesting a relationship, especially in structure or function.
- “Linguists have noted a strong lexical affinity between the two ancient dialects.”
- “The chemical affinity between hydrogen and oxygen leads to the formation of water.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “affinity”.
Originating from the Latin 'affinitas', meaning 'relationship by marriage, neighborhood, or similarity', derived from 'affinis' (bordering on, related), from 'ad-' (to) + 'finis' (boundary, border). It originally referred to a relationship by marriage rather than blood, later broadening to mean any close relationship or likeness.
Think of 'af-FIN-ity': sharing a common FINish line or border with someone creates a natural connection.
Frequently Asked Questions About “affinity”
1. What is the meaning of “affinity” in English?
In English, affinity (noun) is defined as: “A spontaneous or natural liking or sympathy for someone or something.”.
2. How do you use “affinity” in a sentence?
“She felt a deep affinity for the quiet and contemplative nature of the countryside.”
3. What are English synonyms of “affinity”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “affinity”?
Originating from the Latin 'affinitas', meaning 'relationship by marriage, neighborhood, or similarity', derived from 'affinis' (bordering on, related), from 'ad-' (to) + 'finis' (boundary, border). It originally referred to a relationship by marriage rather than blood, later broadening to mean any close relationship or likeness.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.