affiliate

verb af·fil·i·ate \ ə-ˈfi-lē-ˌāt \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of affiliate

affiliated; affiliating

transitive verb

1 a : to bring or receive into close connection as a member or branch

The medical school is affiliated with a hospital.

b : to associate as a member

affiliates herself with the local club

2 : to trace the origin of

affiliated Shakespeare's "Hamlet" to earlier plays

intransitive verb

: to connect or associate oneself : combine

refused to affiliate with any political party

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affiliation

play \ə-ˌfi-lē-ˈā-shən\ noun

See affiliate defined for English-language learners

See affiliate defined for kids

Examples of affiliate in a Sentence

Their group does not affiliate itself with any political party.

Recent Examples of affiliate from the Web

The company is affiliated with the Chief Seattle Club, where Ms. Vestal also helps other homeless Native Americans.

— candice pires, New York Times, "Homeless in Seattle, and Marrying Under the Overpass," 13 Apr. 2018
Neither of them is affiliated the website, and each has dismissed the idea of running for public office.

— ron kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, "Warriors-Spurs series brings another lively round of Kerr vs. Popovich," 13 Apr. 2018
Over the years she’s been affiliated with 4-H, Ramona Chamber of Commerce, Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Mural Project, Ramona Kiwanis Club, Ramona Food and Clothes Closet, Ramona Community Foundation and Santa Maria Creek Greenway project.

— julie gallant, Ramona Sentinel, "Family, friends, community service define Donna Zick," 12 Apr. 2018
The victim, police confirmed, also is not affiliated with the school.

— carol robinson, AL.com, "Woman sexually assaulted in Hoover private school; acquaintance charged," 11 Apr. 2018
But when a recent disinformation research project led me to a Pinterest board of anti-Islamic memes, one night of clicking through those pins—created by fake personas affiliated with the Internet Research Agency—turned my feed upside down.

— renee diresta, WIRED, "Up Next: A Better Recommendation System," 11 Apr. 2018
So earlier this week, McConnell’s affiliated super-PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund, began circulating its own memo to donors that warned them of an electoral climate reminiscent of 2006, when Democrats won both the House and Senate.

— gabriel debenedetti, Daily Intelligencer, "After Ryan’s Exit, Big-Money Donors Turn to War for Senate," 11 Apr. 2018
The group that owns the building was formerly affiliated with development firm HKS Holdings LLC.

— tom daykin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee Global Water Center expansion site instead being converted into apartments," 9 Apr. 2018
They were affiliated with The Pathway Home, a nonprofit organization that served veterans at the Yountville site with outpatient care.

— adam ashton, sacbee, "CHP report showed security gaps at Yountville Veterans Home before killings | The Sacramento Bee," 9 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'affiliate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of affiliate

probably from French affilier "to bring into close connection" (going back to Middle French, "to adopt as a son," borrowed from Medieval Latin affīliāre, from Latin ad- ad- + -fīliāre, verbal derivative of fīlius "son") + ⁴-ate — more at ¹feminine

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1767

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

affiliate

noun af·fil·i·ate \ ə-ˈfi-lē-ət , -ˌāt \

Definition of affiliate

: an affiliated person or organization

the network's local affiliates

See affiliate defined for English-language learners

Examples of affiliate in a Sentence

Two of the company's regional affiliates lost money in the past year.
our local Humane Society is an affiliate of a national organization

Recent Examples of affiliate from the Web

Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.

— ars staff, Ars Technica, "Dealmaster: Grab a Ring video doorbell for $100," 12 Apr. 2018
Stephen Enriquez, a state education specialist in San Antonio, told Fox affiliate KABB.

— lindsey bever, Philly.com, "In case you missed the 'condom-snorting challenge' - and didn't know it's a bad idea," 3 Apr. 2018
San Francisco General Hospital spokesperson Brent Andrew told a local ABC affiliate that the hospital is treating a 36-year-old male in critical condition, a 32-year-old female in serious condition, and a 27-year-old female in fair condition.

— issie lapowsky and louise matsakis, WIRED, "YouTube Shooting Spree Injures 4, Kills 1," 3 Apr. 2018
Stephen Enriquez, a state education specialist in San Antonio, told Fox affiliate KABB.

— lindsey bever, courant.com, "In case you missed the 'condom-snorting challenge' - and didn't know it's a bad idea," 3 Apr. 2018
Even before Caleb died, the ride terrified park employees who had to operate and test it, a former lifeguard at the park told Kansas City Fox-affiliate WDAF.

— author: cleve r. wootson jr., Anchorage Daily News, "They helped design a record-breaking waterslide – and were arrested after it decapitated a boy," 3 Apr. 2018
Huang's family members told San Francisco ABC affiliate KGO-TV that Huang had complained to his Tesla dealership that his SUV would swerve toward the same median where he was later killed.

— cleve r. wootson jr., chicagotribune.com, "Tesla asserts Autopilot 'unequivocally makes the world safer' - days after fiery, fatal crash," 2 Apr. 2018
The segment aired at 9 p.m. Monday on the NBC affiliate KRIS 6 TV.

— fernando alfonso iii, Houston Chronicle, "Texas TV broadcast interrupted with creepy, 'disturbing' language," 21 Mar. 2018
The abbey’s new affiliate program will offer two new short-term monastic options for people of any, or no, faith traditions: a monthlong monastic institute, open to men and women, and a yearlong residency.

— stephen hiltner, New York Times, "The World Is Changing. This Trappist Abbey Isn’t. Can It Last?," 17 Mar. 2018

Origin and Etymology of affiliate

derivative of ¹affiliate

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1793

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

affiliate Synonyms

Synonyms

branch, cell, chapter, council, local;

Related Words

arm, division, wing;

offshoot, subchapter;

lodge, post;

Other Broadcasting Terms

continuity, dissolve, fade, feed, remote, residual, spike, wipe

AFFILIATE Defined for English Language Learners

affiliate

verb

Definition of affiliate for English Language Learners

: to closely connect (something or yourself) with or to something (such as a program or organization) as a member or partner

affiliate

noun

Definition of affiliate for English Language Learners

: an organization (such as a television station) that is a member of a larger organization (such as a national network)

AFFILIATE Defined for Kids

affiliate

verb af·fil·i·ate \ ə-ˈfi-lē-ˌāt \

Definition of affiliate for Students

affiliated; affiliating

: to associate as a member or partner

The spokesperson has long been affiliated with the charity.

Law Dictionary

affiliate

verb af·fil·i·ate \ ə-ˈfi-lē-ˌāt \

legal Definition of affiliate

affiliated; affiliating

transitive verb

1 : to bring or receive into close association as a member or division

2 : to join or associate as a member or division

intransitive verb

: to connect or associate oneself —usually used with with

has just affiliated with the huge corporation

—

affiliation

play \ə-ˌfi-lē-ˈā-shən\ noun

affiliate

noun af·fil·i·ate \ ə-ˈfi-lē-ət \

legal Definition of affiliate

: an affiliated person or organization; specifically : a business entity effectively controlling or controlled by another or associated with others under common ownership or control — compare parent 2, subsidiary