English Explanatory Dictionary

affection

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The act of affecting or acting upon.
  2. The state of being affected, especially: a change in, or alteration of, the emotional state of a person or other animal, caused by a subjective affect (a subjective feeling or emotion), which arises in response to a stimulus which may result from either thought or perception.
  3. An attribute; a quality or property; a condition.
  4. An emotion; a feeling or natural impulse acting upon and swaying the mind.
  5. A feeling of love or strong attachment; a feeling of enjoyable and comforting fondness.
  6. A disease; a morbid symptom; a malady.
verb
  1. To feel affection for.

Pronunciation

/əˈfɛk.ʃən/ /əˈfɛk.t͡ʃən/ en-us-affection.ogg

Word forms

affection affections affectioning affectioned

Etymology

From Middle English affection, affeccion, affeccioun, from Old French affection, from Latin affectiōnem, from affectiō; equivalent to affect + -ion.

Synonyms

attachment fondness kindness love passion tenderness

Related words

affect affectation affecter affective aficionado

Derived words

affectional affectionate affectionated affectionately affectionateness affectioned affectionless affectious alienation of affection misaffection nonaffection public display of affection unaffection
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