English Reference

Word

affair

Phoneticsaf·fair, stress on the second syllable

US/əˈfɛɹ/

UK/ɐfˈeə/

Definitions

01matters or business

B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun

n. matters or events that are connected with a person, a group, or a country.

n. matters of public or private business; often used in the plural to describe professional or political concerns.

“The minister refused to comment on the internal affairs of the neighboring country.”

“The board of directors is responsible for managing the financial affairs of the corporation and ensuring legal compliance.”

Usage

Often used in the plural form 'affairs' when referring to business or politics.

02secret relationship

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a secret sexual relationship between two people, especially when at least one of them is married to someone else.

n. a romantic or sexual relationship between two people who are not married to each other, typically involving infidelity.

“He found out that his wife was having an affair with a colleague from work.”

“The tabloid press thrived on rumors of a clandestine affair between the high-profile politician and the famous actress.”

03an event or situation

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. an event, situation, or object that you are describing in a particular way.

n. an event, proceeding, or physical object that is characterized by a specific quality or adjective.

“The whole dinner party was a very formal affair with many strict rules.”

“The investigation into the missing funds became a long and complicated affair that lasted for several years.”

04minor military battle

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Military Formal · Technical

n. a small fight between soldiers that is not big enough to be called a full battle.

n. a military engagement or skirmish of limited scale, typically involving smaller units rather than entire armies.

“The border affair resulted in a few injuries but did not lead to a full-scale war.”

“Historians describe the encounter as a minor affair, though it significantly impacted the morale of the local garrison.”

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “affair” in context.

Verb

01. handle the affair

“The government was criticized for the way it chose to handle the diplomatic affair.”

verb + noun

02. have an affair

“The movie tells the story of a man who decides to have an affair with his neighbor.”

verb + noun

Adjective

03. extramarital affair

“The politician's career was ruined after news of his extramarital affair broke.”

adj + noun

04. internal affair

“The company insisted that the restructuring was a strictly internal affair.”

adj + noun

05. lavish affair

“The wedding was a lavish affair with over five hundred guests and a live orchestra.”

adj + noun

Noun

06. ministry of foreign affairs

“She works as a senior consultant for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

noun + of + noun

07. state of affairs

“The current state of affairs in the region is very unstable due to the recent protests.”

noun + of + noun

Preposition

08. in order of affairs

“He needed to get his financial affairs in order before applying for a mortgage.”

prep + noun + prep

Real-World Examples

“Most of the ads paid for by AIPAC did not have anything to do with U.S.-Israel affairs or El-Sayed’s position on ending aid to Israel.”
The Conversation 12 Aug 2026
“She sees her four years on the island as “a grand love affair that couldn’t last for ever”.”
The Guardian 18 Jul 2026

Etymology

From Middle English afere, affere, from Old French afaire, from a- + faire (“to do”), from Latin ad- + facere (“to do”). See fact, and compare ado.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Idioms

Domain

Military

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
Frequency
Common
Level
B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
Updated

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