af·fin·i·ty
ə-ˈfi-nə-tē 
plural affinities
1
: relationship by marriage
2
b(1)
: an attraction to or liking for something
people with an affinity to darkness—
Mark Twain
Mark Twainpork and fennel have a natural affinity for each other—Abby Mandel
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
Mary McCarthythis investigation, with affinities to a case history, a psychoanalysis, a detective story—Oliver Sacks
Oliver Sacks
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.Synonyms
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
Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Dramatically perched on a clifftop, overlooking the pearl waters of the Gulf of Oman, the resort reflects its affinity with Omani culture firstly in its architecture.
—Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
American Jews have always had an affinity for the Left.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
My grandmother and her affinity and love of spirituals really heavily influenced me.
—Stephen Humphries, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for affinity 
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Noun
Millennial parents will especially love their child's affinity for this adorable blast from the past that's been redesigned to capture the hearts of a new generation.
—Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Dramatically perched on a clifftop, overlooking the pearl waters of the Gulf of Oman, the resort reflects its affinity with Omani culture firstly in its architecture.
—Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
American Jews have always had an affinity for the Left.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
My grandmother and her affinity and love of spirituals really heavily influenced me.
—Stephen Humphries, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for affinity
Dictionary Entries Near affinity
Cite this Entry
“Affinity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affinity. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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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