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affection

 - 8 dictionary results

af⋅fec⋅tion

1  [uh-fek-shuhn]
Use affection in a Sentence
–noun
1. fond attachment, devotion, or love: the affection of a parent for an only child.
2. Often, affections.
a. emotion; feeling; sentiment: over and above our reason and affections.
b. the emotional realm of love: a place in his affections.
3. Pathology. a disease, or the condition of being diseased; abnormal state of body or mind: a gouty affection.
4. the act of affecting; act of influencing or acting upon.
5. the state of being affected.
6. Philosophy. a contingent, alterable, and accidental state or quality of being.
7. the affective aspect of a mental process.
8. bent or disposition of mind.
9. Obsolete. bias; prejudice.
Origin:
1200–50; ME < OF < L affectiōn- (s. of affectiō) disposition or state of mind or body; see affect 1 , -ion

Related forms:
af⋅fec⋅tion⋅less, adjective

Synonyms:
1. liking, friendliness, amity, fondness, friendship. See love.

Antonyms:
1. dislike.

af⋅fec⋅tion

2  [uh-fek-shuhn]
–noun Obsolete.
affectation (defs. 1–3).
Origin:
1525–35; affect 2 + -ion
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To affection
af·fec·tion   (ə-fěk'shən)   
n.  

  1. A tender feeling toward another; fondness. See Synonyms at love.

  2. Feeling or emotion. Often used in the plural: an unbalanced state of affections.

  3. A disposition to feel, do, or say; a propensity.

  4. Obsolete Prejudice; partiality.


[Middle English affeccioun, from Old French affection, from Latin affectiō, affectiōn-, from affectus, past participle of afficere, to affect, influence; see affect1.]
af·fec'tion·al adj., af·fec'tion·al·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

affection 
c.1230, "an emotion of the mind, passion, lust as opposed to reason," from O.Fr. affection, from L. affectionem (nom affectio) "inclination, influence, permanent state of feeling," from affec-, stem of afficere "to do something to, act on" (see affect (n.)). Sense developed from "disposition" to "good disposition toward" (1382). Affectionate in the sense of "loving" is from 1586.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1af·fec·tion
Pronunciation: &-'fek-sh&n
Function: noun
1 : a moderate feeling or emotion
2 : the feeling aspect (as in pleasure or displeasure) of consciousness

Main Entry: 2affection
Function: noun
1 : the action of affecting : the state of being affected
2 a : a bodily condition b : DISEASE, MALADY affection>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

affection af·fec·tion (ə-fěk'shən)
n.

  1. A tender feeling toward another; fondness.

  2. A bodily condition; disease.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Bible Dictionary

Affection

feeling or emotion. Mention is made of "vile affections" (Rom. 1:26) and "inordinate affection" (Col. 3:5). Christians are exhorted to set their affections on things above (Col. 3:2). There is a distinction between natural and spiritual or gracious affections (Ezek. 33:32).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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