English Reference
noun

affiliation

n.
US /əˌfɪɫiˈeɪʃən/ UK /ɐfˌɪlɪˈeɪʃən/ af·fil·i·a·tion UK spelling affiliations

  1. 01 C1 Advanced Formal

    a formal connection or membership with a group, such as a political party or a religion.

    the state of being formally connected or associated with a larger body, such as a political, religious, or professional organisation.

    Simple

    He was asked about his political affiliation during the interview for the government job.

    In context

    The researcher maintained a strict professional distance to ensure that her political affiliation did not bias the outcome of the study.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'with'.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced FormalAcademic

    a link between two organisations where one is a member of the other.

    a formal relationship between two organisations, typically where a smaller entity is a member of or subordinate to a larger umbrella group.

    Simple

    The local hospital has a formal affiliation with the city's medical university.

    In context

    The college's affiliation with the national research council provided students with access to exclusive laboratory facilities and funding opportunities.

  3. 03 C2 Proficiency TechnicalFormal Law

    the legal process of deciding who the father of a child is.

    the legal establishment of a child's parentage, specifically paternity.

    Simple

    The court issued an affiliation order to ensure the father paid for the child's care.

    In context

    The legal proceedings were delayed while the court awaited the results of the DNA test required for the affiliation order.

Usage affiliations beyond their academic

As Majdalanie and Mroué wryly point out, getting back to Europe after the US questioned his communist affiliations took only a day.

The Guardian· 16 Aug 2026

The whales for now live in the same space as three other belugas, and they trade "signs of affiliation" and sounds with each other.

Phys.org· 15 Aug 2026

From French affiliation, from Latin affiliatiō, noun of action from verb affiliō, from af- (form of ad- (“to”) before an f) + filiō (from filius (“son”)).

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

This entry
Origin Latin affiliatiō
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated