af·fin·i·ty
ə-ˈfi-nə-tē 
plural affinities
1
b(1)
: an attraction to or liking for something
shared an affinity for spicy snacks
(2)
: an attractive force between substances or particles that causes them to enter into and remain in chemical combination
2
: relationship by marriage
related by affinity
3
a
: likeness based on relationship or causal connection
noticed several affinities between the two paintings
Football fans … have a more obvious affinity with the crowds who scream at pop concerts than with the more sedate audiences in theatres …—
Ronald Hayman
Ronald Hayman
b
: a relation between biological groups involving resemblance in structural plan and indicating a common origin
chemistry
: of, relating to, involving, or used in affinity chromatography
The unwanted antibodies are removed in affinity columns, which contain a matrix to which other antibodies have already been allowed to bind …—Scientific American
Scientific AmericanAlthough affinity labeling was originally developed for the investigation of enzymes, it has also added significantly to the study of the structure of active sites in other systems …—Meir Wilchek et al.
Meir Wilchek et al.Examples of affinity in a Sentence
Noun
Jefferson's personal debts continued to mount … His addiction to French wine, like his affinity for French ideas, never came to grips with the more mundane realities.
—Joseph J. Ellis, American Heritage, May/June 1993
… neither virus has an affinity for T cells.
—Robert C. Gallo, Scientific American, 1987
Animals sharing this basic architecture may have no closer affinity than a beetle and a squid.
—Stephen Jay Gould, Natural History, 1985
There's always been an affinity between us.
He never felt any affinity with the other kids in his neighborhood.
Joseph J. Ellis, American Heritage, May/June 1993
… neither virus has an affinity for T cells.
—Robert C. Gallo, Scientific American, 1987
Animals sharing this basic architecture may have no closer affinity than a beetle and a squid.
—Stephen Jay Gould, Natural History, 1985
There's always been an affinity between us.
He never felt any affinity with the other kids in his neighborhood.
Recent Examples on the Web
James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
An affinity for rain and endless sunsets instead of four-lane highways.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Thyme and mushrooms have a natural affinity, mostly because mushrooms are innately earthy and rich, and thyme is floral and woodsy.
—Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Mulroney, who grew up in a small Quebec town, had an ideological affinity with the emerging trends of privatization and deregulation in 1980s Anglo-American conservatism.
—Dónal Gill, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for affinity
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Noun
Ross's affinity for McDaniel has been well-known, as rumors of his being fired reached a boiling point way ahead of the Dolphins' loss to the Ravens in Week 9.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
An affinity for rain and endless sunsets instead of four-lane highways.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Thyme and mushrooms have a natural affinity, mostly because mushrooms are innately earthy and rich, and thyme is floral and woodsy.
—Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Mulroney, who grew up in a small Quebec town, had an ideological affinity with the emerging trends of privatization and deregulation in 1980s Anglo-American conservatism.
—Dónal Gill, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for affinity
Cite this Entry
“Affinity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affinity. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
affinity
noun
af·fin·i·ty
ə-ˈfin-ət-ē
plural affinities
1
: relationship by marriage
2
a
: a feeling of closeness or sympathy because of shared interests
b
: attraction
especially
: an attractive force between substances or particles that causes them to enter into and remain in chemical combination
Medical Definition
affinity
noun
af·fin·i·ty
ə-ˈfin-ət-ē
plural affinities
1
: an attractive force between substances or particles that causes them to enter into and remain in chemical combination
2
: a relation between biological groups involving resemblance in structural plan and indicating a common origin
Legal Definition
affinity
noun
af·fin·i·ty
ə-ˈfi-nə-tē
plural affinities
: relationship by marriage compare consanguinity
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