What does "affine" mean?
A relative by marriage.
Affine
/əˈfaɪn/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A relative by marriage.
- Grammar: affine is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: affinal, affined, coordinate transform, linear.
- Useful contrasts: nonaffine, nonlinear.
- Usage evidence: An affine algebraic group over a field k is a representable covariant functor from the category of commutative algebras over k to the category of groups such that the representing algebra is finitely generated.
How to use "affine"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "affine" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "affine" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "affine" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "affine" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "affine" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "affinal" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "affine", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A relative by marriage.
"1970 [Routledge and Kegan Paul], Raymond Firth, Jane Hubert, Anthony Forge, Families and Their Relatives: Kinship in a Middle-Class Sector of London, 2006, Taylor & Francis (Routledge), page 135, The element of personal idiosyncracy may be expected to be most marked in regard to affines (i.e. those related by marriage) and particularly with the consanguines of affines, who are linked by still more tenuous bonds. There are many possible degrees of affinal relationship here, but broadly affines separate into two main types: spouse of consanguine of Ego, and consanguine of spouse of Ego—exemplified by my brother's wife, and my wife's brother."
- 2 (anthropology) kin by marriage wordnet
Verb
- 1 To refine. transitive
"The next stage is remelting: the affined sugar is dissolved in hot water and the syrup formed is made alkaline by adding milk of lime."
- 2 To set the CPU affinity of something transitive
"affined the sequential regions to run only on CPU 0"
Adjective
- 1 Assigning finite values to finite quantities. not-comparable
- 2 Of or pertaining to a function expressible as f(⃑x)=A⃑x+⃑b (where A is a linear transformation and ⃑b is a constant), which, regarded as a transformation, maps parallel lines to parallel lines and finite points to finite points. not-comparable
"Now, let P, Q, and R be three noncollinear points that are left fixed by an affine transformation T."
- 3 Of two materials, having mutual affinity. comparable
Adjective
- 1 (anthropology) related by marriage wordnet
- 2 (mathematics) of or pertaining to the geometry of affine transformations wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"An affine algebraic group over a field k is a representable covariant functor from the category of commutative algebras over k to the category of groups such that the representing algebra is finitely generated."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "affine"?
Common synonyms include: affinal, affined, coordinate transform, linear, linear equations, linear mapping.
How do you use "affine" in a sentence?
An affine algebraic group over a field k is a representable covariant functor from the category of commutative algebras over k to the category of groups such that the representing algebra is finitely generated.
How do you pronounce "affine"?
Pronounced /əˈfaɪn/.
Etymology
From Latin affinis (“connected with”).