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Affinity: meaning, definitions and examples

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affinity

 

[ əˈfɪnɪti ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

natural connection

A spontaneous or natural liking or sympathy for someone or something.

Synonyms

kinship, liking, sympathy

Examples of usage

  • She felt an affinity with the group of artists.
  • There was an immediate affinity between them.
Context #2 | Noun

chemistry

The degree to which a substance tends to combine with another.

Synonyms

attraction, propensity, tendency

Examples of usage

  • The oxygen molecule has a strong affinity for electrons.
  • This metal has a high affinity for sulfur.
Context #3 | Noun

biology

A relationship between organisms that are closely related but not necessarily in a direct line of descent.

Synonyms

association, connection, relationship

Examples of usage

  • The bird has an affinity with the reptile due to shared characteristics.
  • Genetic affinities can be determined through evolutionary analysis.

Translations

Translations of the word "affinity" in other languages:

🇵🇹 afinidade

🇮🇳 सहानुभूति

🇩🇪 Affinität

🇮🇩 keterkaitan

🇺🇦 афінність

🇵🇱 powinowactwo

🇯🇵 親和性 (しんわせい)

🇫🇷 affinité

🇪🇸 afinidad

🇹🇷 yakınlık

🇰🇷 친밀감

🇸🇦 ألفة

🇨🇿 příbuznost

🇸🇰 príbuznosť

🇨🇳 亲和力 (qīnhélì)

🇸🇮 afiniteta

🇮🇸 skyldleiki

🇰🇿 жақындық

🇬🇪 ახლოება

🇦🇿 yaxınlıq

🇲🇽 afinidad

Etymology

The word 'affinity' originated from the Latin word 'affinitas', which means relationship by marriage. It was first used in the 14th century to refer to a relationship by marriage or kinship. Over time, its meaning expanded to include natural likings or connections between individuals or things. The concept of affinity is found in various fields such as psychology, chemistry, and biology, highlighting the diverse ways in which this word is used.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,774 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.