What does "affinity" mean?
A natural attraction or feeling of kinship to a person or thing.
Affinity
/əˈfɪnɪti/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A natural attraction or feeling of kinship to a person or thing.
- Grammar: affinity is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: a thing for, accord, accordance, addition.
- Useful contrasts: allergy, antipathies, aversion.
- Usage evidence: This case has an affinity with that one.
How to use "affinity"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "affinity" 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 "affinity" 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 "affinity" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "affinity" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- 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 "affinity" is acting as noun 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 "a thing for" 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.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "affinity", 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 natural attraction or feeling of kinship to a person or thing. countable, uncountable
- 2 a natural attraction or feeling of kinship wordnet
- 3 A family relationship through marriage of a relative (e.g. sister-in-law), as opposed to consanguinity (e.g. sister). countable, uncountable
- 4 inherent resemblance between persons or things wordnet
- 5 A kinsman or kinswoman of a such relationship; one who is affinal. countable, uncountable
Show 15 more definitions
- 6 the force attracting atoms to each other and binding them together in a molecule wordnet
- 7 The fact of and manner in which something is related to another. countable, uncountable
"There are, of course, certain differences of detail; for example, the placing of the safety valves on the boiler barrel behind the dome, which follows the practice in the Riddles 2-8-0 and 2-10-0 locomotives for the Ministry of Supply; but taken all in all, Britannia's boiler has a closer affinity with the Doncaster designs than with any other."
- 8 (immunology) the attraction between an antigen and an antibody wordnet
- 9 Any romantic relationship. countable, uncountable
- 10 a close connection marked by community of interests or similarity in nature or character wordnet
- 11 A love interest; a paramour. countable, uncountable
""Cut it short, sis, cut it short," he would growl at her if she started to murmur sweet "coo-coos" to her affinity stationed on the other end of the wire."
- 12 (biology) state of relationship between organisms or groups of organisms resulting in resemblance in structure or structural parts wordnet
- 13 Any passionate love for something. countable, uncountable
- 14 (anthropology) kinship by marriage or adoption; not a blood relationship wordnet
- 15 Resemblances between biological populations, suggesting that they have a common origin, type or stock. countable, uncountable
- 16 Structural resemblances between minerals; resemblances that suggest that they are of a common origin or type. countable, uncountable
- 17 An attractive force between atoms, or groups of atoms, that contributes towards their forming bonds. countable, uncountable
- 18 The attraction between an antibody and an antigen countable, uncountable
- 19 A tendency to keep a task running on the same processor in a symmetric multiprocessing operating system to reduce the frequency of cache misses. countable, uncountable
- 20 An automorphism of affine space. countable, uncountable
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"This case has an affinity with that one."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "affinity"?
Common synonyms include: a thing for, accord, accordance, addition, adduction, adjunct.
How do you use "affinity" in a sentence?
This case has an affinity with that one.
How do you pronounce "affinity"?
Pronounced /əˈfɪnɪti/.
Etymology
From Middle English affinite, from Old French affinité. Ostensibly equivalent to affine + -ity.