affinity

af·fin·i·ty  (-fn-t)

n. pl. af·fin·i·ties

1. A natural attraction, liking, or feeling of kinship.

2. Relationship by marriage.

3. An inherent similarity between persons or things. See Synonyms at likeness.

4. Biology A relationship or resemblance in structure between species that suggests a common origin.

5. Immunology The attraction between an antigen and an antibody.

6. Chemistry An attraction or force between particles that causes them to combine.

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[Middle English affinite, from Old French afinite, from Latin affnits, from affnis, related by marriage; see affined.]

Usage Note: In the sense of "attraction," affinity may be followed by of, between, or with. Thus one may speak of the close affinity of James and Samuel, or of the affinity between James and Samuel, or of James's affinity with Samuel. In its chemical use affinity is generally followed by for: a dye with an affinity for synthetic fabrics. · One might want to avoid using affinity as a simple synonym for liking since 62 percent of the Usage Panel rejects the example Her affinity for living in California led her to reject a chance to return to New York. Nevertheless, the more sophisticated tone inherent in this use of the word can lend an archness to certain contexts, as when Barbara Tuchman writes of Kaiser Wilhelm's "affinity for coarse physical jokes practiced upon his courtiers." This may be why 65 percent of the Usage Panel approved of this quotation when it was presented as an example.

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affinity [əˈfɪnɪtɪ]

n pl -ties

1. (foll by with or for) a natural liking, taste, or inclination towards a person or thing

2. the person or thing so liked

3. a close similarity in appearance or quality; inherent likeness

4. relationship by marriage or by ties other than of blood, as by adoption Compare consanguinity

5. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) similarity in structure, form, etc., between different animals, plants, or languages

6. (Chemistry) Chem

a.  the tendency for two substances to combine; chemical attraction

b.  a measure of the tendency of a chemical reaction to take place expressed in terms of the free energy change. Symbol A

7. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biochemistry) Biology a measure of the degree of interaction between two molecules, such as an antigen and antibody or a hormone and its receptor

[via Old French from Latin affīnitāt- connected by marriage, from affīnis bordering on, related]

affinitive  adj

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affinity  (-fn-t)

1. A relationship or resemblance in structure between species that suggests a common origin.

2. An attraction or force between particles that causes them to combine, as the attraction between an antigen and an antibody.

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affinity

the condition of close relationship. Cf. consanguinity. See also marriage.

See also: Relationship

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	affinity - (immunology) the attraction between an antigen and an antibody immunology - the branch of medical science that studies the body's immune system attraction, attractive force - the force by which one object attracts another
	2.	affinity - (anthropology) kinship by marriage or adoption; not a blood relationship anthropology - the social science that studies the origins and social relationships of human beings family relationship, kinship, relationship - (anthropology) relatedness or connection by blood or marriage or adoption steprelationship - a family relationship by virtue of remarriage blood kinship, consanguinity, cognation - (anthropology) related by blood
	3.	affinity - (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" phylogenetic relation biological science, biology - the science that studies living organisms family relationship, kinship, relationship - (anthropology) relatedness or connection by blood or marriage or adoption
	4.	affinity - 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" kinship relation - an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together rapport, resonance - a relationship of mutual understanding or trust and agreement between people sympathy - a relation of affinity or harmony between people; whatever affects one correspondingly affects the other; "the two of them were in close sympathy"
	5.	affinity - the force attracting atoms to each other and binding them together in a molecule; "basic dyes have an affinity for wool and silk" chemical attraction force - (physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity; "force equals mass times acceleration"
	6.	affinity - inherent resemblance between persons or things resemblance - similarity in appearance or external or superficial details
	7.	affinity - a natural attraction or feeling of kinship; "an affinity for politics"; "the mysterious affinity between them"; "James's affinity with Sam" attractiveness, attraction - the quality of arousing interest; being attractive or something that attracts; "her personality held a strange attraction for him"

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affinity

noun

1. attraction, liking, leaning, sympathy, inclination, rapport, fondness, partiality There is a natural affinity between the two.
attraction hostility, dislike, hatred, loathing, animosity, aversion, revulsion, antipathy, abhorrence, repugnance

2. similarity, relationship, relation, connection, alliance, correspondence, analogy, resemblance, closeness, likeness, compatibility, kinship The two plots share certain obvious affinities.
similarity difference, disparity, dissimilarity

Translations

affinity [əˈfɪnɪtɪ] N

1. (= similarity, relationship) → afinidad f
A has certain affinities with B → entre A y B existe cierta afinidad

2. (= liking) → simpatía f
I feel no affinity whatsoever with or for him → no siento ninguna simpatía por él

affinity [əˈfɪnɪti] n → affinité f
the strange affinity between man and nature → l'étrange affinité entre l'homme et la nature
to have an affinity with sb/sth → avoir des affinités avec qn/qch
to have an affinity for sth → être attiré(e) par qch
affinity card n carte de crédit émise en collaboration avec une association caritative et grâce à laquelle un pourcentage de chaque transaction est versé à cette association

affinity

n

(= liking) → Neigung f → (for, to zu); (for person) → Verbundenheit f → (for, to mit)

(= resemblance, connection) → Verwandtschaft f, → Affinität f (form)

(Chem) → Affinität f

affinity [əˈfɪnɪtɪ] n (relationship) → affinità f inv; (liking) → simpatia