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affection - 9 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.
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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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Affection

Af*fec"tion\, n. [F. affection, L. affectio, fr. afficere. See Affect.]

1. The act of affecting or acting upon; the state of being affected.

2. An attribute; a quality or property; a condition; a bodily state; as, figure, weight, etc., are affections of bodies. "The affections of quantity." --Boyle.

And, truly, waking dreams were, more or less, An old and strange affection of the house. --Tennyson.

3. Bent of mind; a feeling or natural impulse or natural impulse acting upon and swaying the mind; any emotion; as, the benevolent affections, esteem, gratitude, etc.; the malevolent affections, hatred, envy, etc.; inclination; disposition; propensity; tendency.

Affection is applicable to an unpleasant as well as a pleasant state of the mind, when impressed by any object or quality. --Cogan.

4. A settled good will; kind feeling; love; zealous or tender attachment; -- often in the pl. Formerly followed by to, but now more generally by for or towards; as, filial, social, or conjugal affections; to have an affection for or towards children.

All his affections are set on his own country. --Macaulay.

5. Prejudice; bias. [Obs.] --Bp. Aylmer.

6. (Med.) Disease; morbid symptom; malady; as, a pulmonary affection. --Dunglison.

7. The lively representation of any emotion. --Wotton.

8. Affectation. [Obs.] "Spruce affection." --Shak.

9. Passion; violent emotion. [Obs.]

Most wretched man, That to affections does the bridle lend. --Spenser.

Syn: Attachment; passion; tenderness; fondness; kindness; love; good will. See Attachment; Disease.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : affection
Spanish: afecto, cariño,
German: die Zuneigung,
Japanese: 愛情
More Translations »

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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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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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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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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