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The affection an aficionado has for their favorite subject isn't merely emotional—it's also etymological. Back in the early 1800s, English borrowed aficionado from the past participle of the Spanish verb aficionar, which means "to inspire affection." That verb comes from the Spanish noun afición, meaning "affection." Both Spanish words trace to the Latin affectiō (which is also an ancestor of the English word affection). Affectiō, in turn, is from afficere ("to influence") and gave English speakers the noun and verb affect.

Examples of aficionado in a Sentence

Such are the issues that spark hot debate among pizza chefs and aficionados. I recently visited some of the most dedicated pizza makers in the United States to have them demonstrate what makes their pizza special. — Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator, 30 June 2008 The quality varies with the individual authors, but both history buffs and aficionados of literary criticism will find food for thought here. — Publishers Weekly, 8 Jan. 2001 When film aficionados speak of film noir, they usually refer to the look and attitude of certain films. As critics have found, such films do not form a genre; at best, they suggest a movement. — Bonnie Smothers, Booklist, 15 Nov. 1999 Beyond scuba diving, North Carolina's Crystal Coast and Cape Lookout are famous for fishing. Although I'm not an aficionado myself, prospective anglers need only walk the docks of Moorehead City to book inshore or Gulf Stream excursions … — James Sturz, New York Times, 26 Apr. 1998 an aficionado of the sci-fi series who has seen all the movies several times

Recent Examples on the Web As a movie monster aficionado, I was impressed by the sandworms; the beasts resemble some kind of parasitic microorganism, swollen to biblical proportions. — Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2021 The wrestling aficionado will play El Muerto, in what Sony Pictures is billing as the first Latino character to lead a Marvel live-action film. — Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 26 Apr. 2022 The fashion aficionado to TikTok commentator pipeline has become the go-to formula for style-minded creators on the app, with some leveraging their online audiences to snag gigs that include brand partnerships, freelance writing and staff jobs. — Frances Solá-santiago, refinery29.com, 25 Apr. 2022 But when looking to innovate and take risks, hiring a CEO-slash-DJ aficionado may be the right move. — Paige Mcglauflin, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2022 All were chosen with the keen eye of a true aficionado. — Carol Besler, Robb Report, 11 Apr. 2022 Shiv’s new elegance channels another turtleneck aficionado, Katharine Hepburn. — Nancy Macdonell, WSJ, 13 Jan. 2022 A day after the Super Bowl, the Four Seasons Total Landscaping aficionado went on local New York radio station 77WABC to share his opinion, which no one asked for, about the rap star’s political statement on stage. — Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2022 Jon Erekson, a high-school history teacher in the Houston area, has become a barbecue aficionado since moving to Texas from Montana two decades ago. — Elizabeth Findell, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2022 See More

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

History and Etymology for aficionado

borrowed from Spanish aficionado, from past participle of aficionar "to inspire devotion or affection in," verbal derivative of afición "liking, interest," going back to earlier afeción, afección, borrowed from Latin affectiōn-, affectiō "feeling, feeling of attachment" — more at affection

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