Word
affection
Phoneticsaf·fec·tion, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈfɛkʃən/
UK/ɐfˈɛkʃən/
Definitions
01fondness or love
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a feeling of liking or caring for a person or an animal.
n. a gentle feeling of fondness or liking. Uncountable in its general sense, though specific instances may be countable.
日本語:愛情※
“The dog showed great affection for its owner by wagging its tail.”
“Despite their frequent professional disagreements, the two colleagues maintained a deep personal affection for one another that spanned several decades.”
Synonyms
02a medical condition
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Medicine Archaic · Technical
n. a physical condition or a disease.
n. a physical condition or disease, particularly one affecting a specific organ or part of the body.
“The old medical book described a strange affection of the lungs.”
“The physician noted a chronic affection of the nervous system which appeared to be exacerbated by the patient's environmental conditions.”
Usage
In modern medicine, 'condition' or 'disorder' is almost always preferred over 'affection'.
03a quality or property
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Academic · Formal
n. a quality or feature that something has.
n. an attribute, quality, or property of a thing or substance.
“The philosopher discussed the different affections of the human mind.”
“The treatise explores the various affections of matter, such as extension and motion, within the framework of seventeenth-century physics.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “affection” in context.
Verb
01. crave affection
“Children who are neglected often crave affection from any adult figure.”
verb + noun
02. lavish affection on
“The grandparents tend to lavish affection on their only grandson.”
verb + noun + prep
03. win someone's affection
“He tried to win her affection by bringing her flowers every day.”
verb + possessive + noun
Adjective
04. mutual affection
“It was clear from their smiles that there was a deep mutual affection between them.”
adj + noun
05. undying affection
“In his letters, he pledged his undying affection for his wife.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. show of affection
“Public shows of affection are considered inappropriate in some cultures.”
noun + of + noun
07. token of affection
“Please accept this small gift as a token of my affection.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
08. with affection
“She looked back at her childhood home with affection and nostalgia.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Feeling affection toward a dog was not significantly associated with either healthier or less healthy coping styles.” “Even in the early letters, before Speedy shipped overseas, he found clever, playful ways to express his affection.” “Strong relationships may make it easier for visitors to offer reassurance, affection and practical support, whereas fraught relationships can make visits less comforting or reopen emotional wounds .” “Considering these two shows together as a critique of the service we comedy reviewers render – well, there’s ridicule (fair enough) but perhaps grudging affection too.” Etymology
From Middle English affection, affeccion, affeccioun, from Old French affection, from Latin affectiōnem, from affectiō; equivalent to affect + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domain
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/affection
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0