affection Hear it!

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affection definition

af·fec·tion (ə feks̸hən)

noun

  1. a mental or emotional state or tendency; disposition or feeling
  2. fond or tender feeling; warm liking
  3. an affecting or being affected
  4. Archaic a disease; ailment
  5. Archaic an attribute or property of a thing

Etymology: ME affecciun < OFr affection < L affectio, a state of feeling < pp. of afficere: see affect

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:
affection Synonyms

affection

n.

  1. Warm liking

    love, fondness, friendship, liking, attachment, good will, predilection, warm feeling, warmth, heart, endearment, partiality, passion, ardor, attachment, friendliness, concern, regard, caring, desire, closeness, kindness, devotion, tenderness, solicitude, soft spot*; see also love 1.

    Antonyms hatred*, dislike*, enmity. *

  2. Disease

    disease, ailment, malady; see disease. See syn. study atdisease, love.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

affection Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • cherish: After his death she became the devoted attendant and supporter of the Roman pontiff and cherished an extraordinary affection for him.

Adjective modifier

  • injurious: Professor Macrory said he would explore the possible relevance of the Law Commission's current review of the law on injurious affection.

Modifies a noun

  • status: For affection status, normal sibs provide information about parental phase.

Noun used with modifier

  • tender: Love is a profound feeling of tender affection for or intense attraction to another.

Possessives

  • husband: By bringing my niece here I believe I have given her an excellent chance of regaining her husband's affection.

Preposition: of

  • girl: The mood of You Can't Fool Dennis chops and changes like the affections of a capricious teenage girl.

Preposition: for

  • badger: The only symptom is a deep affection for badgers.
affection usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

affection quotes

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

-Bible (NewTestament)

We begin our public affection in our families. No cold relation is a zealous citizen.

-Burke, Edmund

Affection beaming in one eye, and calculation shining out of the other.

-Dickens, CharlesJohn Huffam

affection quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"affection." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/affection>

APA Style

affection. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/affection

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