affinity

Noun

Meaning

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.

Kinship generally; close agreement; relation; conformity; resemblance; connection; as, the affinity of sounds, of colors, or of languages.

Companionship; acquaintance.

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.

A relation between species or highe/ groups dependent on resemblance in the whole plan of structure, and indicating community of origin.

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.

Source: Webster's dictionary

Synonyms

kinship association relationship connection bond preference attraction compatibility attachment resemblance affection inclination likeness liking propensity
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Antonyms

milt wormwood length distance section refraction
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Hypernyms

force relationship relation attraction resemblance kinship

Hyponyms

chemistry resonance rapport sympathy steprelationship

Phrases with the word

establish an affinity form an affinity lectin affinity chromatography high affinity affinity constant binding affinity

Derivatives

affinities

Examples

It is wrong to think that love comes from long companionship and persevering courtship. Love is the offspring of spiritual affinity and unless that affinity is created in a moment, it will not be created for years or even generations. Kahlil Gibran

Violent antipathies are always suspicious, and betray a secret affinity. William Hazlitt

Truth never yet fell dead in the streets; it has such affinity with the soul of man, the seed however broadcast will catch somewhere and produce its hundredfold. Theodore Parker

My friends call me 'Dolittle One' [a reference to her physical stature and affinity for animals]. Gloria Estefan

Women do have an affinity for evil, for believing that no woman is to be trusted, but that some men are too innocent to protect themselves. William Faulkner

Affinity is a mysterious thing, but it is spicy. Japanese Proverb

Close letter words and terms

affinitatively affinition affinitive affinity card affinity constant affinity fraud