English Explanatory Dictionary

affectation

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An attempt to assume or exhibit what is not natural or real; false display; artificial show.
  2. An unusual mannerism.
  3. An ostentatious fondness for something.

Pronunciation

/ˌæf.ɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/ en-us-affectation.ogg en-au-affectation.ogg

Word forms

affectation affectations

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₁kyéti Proto-Italic *θakjō Proto-Italic *fakjō Proto-Italic *adfakjō Proto-Italic *adfaktāō Latin affectō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin affectātiōder. Middle French affectationbor. ▲ Latin affectātiōbor. English affectation From Middle French affectation and its etymon Latin affectātiōnem, from affectō (“to feign”). By surface analysis, affect + -ation.

Synonyms

eccentricity mannerism airs

Related words

affect affectatious affecter affection affectionate affective

Derived words

affectational affectationist
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
Back to search All on A Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary