Etymology : Middle English affinite, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French afinité, from Latin affinitas, from affinis bordering on, related by marriage, from ad- + finis end, border
Pronunciation : &-'fi-n&-tE
Function : noun
Date : 14th century
1. attraction; closeness; liking; likeness. affinity\af*fin"i*ty\ , n.; pl. affinities . [of. afinité, f. affinité, l. affinites, fr. affinis. see:
affined.].
2. relationship by marriage (as between a husband and his wife's blood relations, or between a wife and her husband's blood relations); -- in contradistinction to consanguinity, or relationship by blood; -- followed by with, to, or between. solomon made affinity with pharaoh. ii.
3. 2. kinship generally; close agreement; relation; conformity; resemblance; connection; as, the affinity of sounds, of colors, or of languages. there is a close affinity between imposture and credulity. g. c. lewis.
4. companionship; acquaintance. [obs.] about forty years past, i began a happy affinity with william cranmer.
5. (chem.) that attraction which takes place, at an insensible distance, between the heterogeneous particles of bodies, and unites them to form chemical compounds; chemism; chemical or elective affinity or attraction.
6. (nat. hist.) a relation between species or highe groups dependent on resemblance in the whole plan of structure, and indicating community of origin.
7. (spiritualism) a superior spiritual relationship or attraction held to exist sometimes between persons, esp. persons of the opposite sex; also, the man or woman who exerts such psychical or spiritual attraction.affinity n.
8. the force attracting atoms to each other and binding them together in a molecule: "basic dyes have an affinity for wool and silk" [syn: chemical attraction].
9. (immunology) the attraction between an antigen and an antibody.
10. kinship by marriage or adoption; not a blood relationship [syn: kinship by marriage] [ant: consanguinity].
11. (biology) state of relationship between organisms or groups of organisms resulting in resemblance in structure or structural parts: "in anatomical structure prehistoric man shows close affinity with modern humans" [syn: phylogenetic relation ].
12. a close connection marked by community of interests or similarity in nature or character: "found a natural affinity with the immigrants"; "felt a deep kinship with the other students"; "anthropology's kinship with the humanities" [syn: kinship].
13. inherent resemblance between persons or things.
14. a natural attraction or feeling of kinship: "an affinity for politics"; "the mysterious affinity between them"; "james's affinity with sam"affinity relationship by alliance (2 chr. 18:1) or by marriage (1 kings 3:1). marriages are prohibited within certain degrees of affinity, enumerated lev. 18:6.
15. consanguinity is relationship by blood.
16. Relationship by marriage ; in contradistinction to consanguinity, or relationship by blood; followed by with, to, or between.
17. Kinship generally; close agreement; relation; conformity; resemblance; connection; as, the affinity of sounds, of colors, or of languages.
18. Companionship; acquaintance.
19. That attraction which takes place, at an insensible distance, between the heterogeneous particles of bodies, and unites them to form chemical compounds; chemism; chemical or elective affinity or attraction.
20. A relation between species or highe&?; groups dependent on resemblance in the whole plan of structure, and indicating community of origin.
21. A superior spiritual relationship or attraction held to exist sometimes between persons, esp. persons of the opposite sex; also, the man or woman who exerts such psychical or spiritual attraction. a natural attraction or feeling of kinship; "an affinity for politics"; "the mysterious affinity between them"; "James's affinity with Sam" inherent resemblance between persons or things the force attracting atoms to each other and binding them together in a molecule; "basic dyes have an affinity for wool and silk" the attraction between an antigen and an antibody a close connection marked by community of interests or similarity in nature or character; "found a natural affinity with the immigrants"; "felt a deep kinship with the other students"; "anthropology's kinship with the humanities" state of relationship between organisms or groups of organisms resulting in resemblance in structure or structural parts; "in anatomical structure prehistoric man shows close affinity with modern humans" kinship by marriage or adoption; not a blood relationship.
22. If you have an affinity with someone or something, you feel that you are similar to them or that you know and understand them very well. He has a close affinity with the landscape he knew when he was growing up.