affinity

1 of 2

noun

af·​fin·​i·​ty ə-ˈfi-nə-tē 

plural affinities

1

: relationship by marriage

2

a

: sympathy marked by community of interest : kinship

She has an affinity to him because of their common musical interests.

b(1)

: an attraction to or liking for something

people with an affinity to darkness

—Mark Twain

pork and fennel have a natural affinity for each other

—Abby Mandel

(2)

: an attractive force between substances or particles that causes them to enter into and remain in chemical combination

c

: a person especially of the opposite sex having a particular attraction for one

3

a

: likeness based on relationship or causal connection

found an affinity between the teller of a tale and the craftsman

—Mary McCarthy

this investigation, with affinities to a case history, a psychoanalysis, a detective story

—Oliver Sacks

b

: a relation between biological groups involving resemblance in structural plan and indicating a common origin

affinity

2 of 2

adjective

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

Although 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.

Synonyms

Noun

• affection
• aptitude
• bent
• bias
• bone
• devices
• disposition
• genius
• habitude
• impulse
• inclination
• leaning
• partiality
• penchant
• predilection
• predisposition
• proclivity
• propensity
• tendency
• turn

Choose the Right Synonym for affinity

attraction, affinity, sympathy mean the relationship existing between things or persons that are naturally or involuntarily drawn together.

attraction implies the possession by one thing of a quality that pulls another to it.

felt an attraction to danger

affinity implies a susceptibility or predisposition on the part of the one drawn.

an affinity for mathematics

sympathy implies a reciprocal or natural relation between two things that are both susceptible to the same influence.

two minds in sympathy

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Although the Jonas Brothers notoriously have an affinity for Waffle House, the band is now dedicating their love to another fast-casual chain. —Lizzy Rosenberg, Peoplemag, 13 Sep. 2023

McCraney hopes to make this nexus available to a new generation of artists who feel a deep affinity for the stage and would like to be able to commute regularly between mediums in their hometown. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2023

As Sheridan tried to explain soccer fans’ unique affinity for the incongruous celebration, her words were drowned out by a ruckus outside the interview room, as only the shrill voices of little girls can. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2023

Despite the communist affinity with its big brother to the north, Vietnam has been motivated to find new partners due to Beijing’s aggressive activity over the past decade. —Rebecca Tan, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2023

People like Kanye, Mos Def, and even Drake all had affinity for MF Doom. —Daniel Kohn, Spin, 28 Aug. 2023

In a new interview with Elle UK (which was conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike), the Oppenheimer star opened up about feeling comfortable with her body and addressed the backlash over her affinity for sheer red-carpet dressing. —Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 31 Aug. 2023

Moore had an affinity for art and enrolled in the Rochester Institute of Technology. —Lexi Pandell, WIRED, 31 Aug. 2023

Additionally, each collection features a narrative, reflecting her affinity for searching within her own life story by incorporating elements such as rich textiles and bright colors in an effortless and innovative way to show her audience. —Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 29 Aug. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English affinite, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French affinité, borrowed from Latin affīnitāt-, affīnitās, from affīnis "bordering (on), related by marriage, connected (with)" (from ad- ad- + fīnis "boundary, limit") + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at final entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1962, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing affinity

• affinity card
• affinity group
• affinity chromatography

• affinity card
• affinity group
• affinity chromatography

Kids 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