Etymology: < classical Latin affectus mental or emotional state or reaction (especially a temporary one), physical state or condition (especially a pathological one), influence or impression, permanent mental or moral disposition, eagerness, zeal, devotion, love, intention, purpose, in post-classical Latin also evil desire (Vulgate) < afficere affect v.² + -tus , suffix forming verbal nouns. Compare Old French affect (12th cent.), affet (c1265) desire, passion, Middle French affect state, disposition (16th cent.). Compare affect v.¹, affect v.², and also affection n.¹In sense 5 after German Affekt (18th cent. in Kant in sense 5a; 1874 or earlier in sense 5b; 16th cent. in senses ‘strong emotion’, ‘desire, inclination’; < Latin). With the forms effect , effecte compare discussion at effect n.

Etymology: < classical Latin affectus minded, disposed, use as adjective of past participle of afficere affect v.² Compare Middle French affect (affectionately) attached (to) (1420), passionate (15th cent.), driven by feelings (16th cent.). Compare affect v.¹, and later affected adj.¹

Etymology: < Anglo-Norman affecter to seek after, be attracted to (c1400) and Middle French, French affecter to feign (1327), to desire, seek, aspire to (1393), to have a predilection for, to have a disposition to (1470), to assume, display (a quality or manner of behaving) (1531), to prefer (someone) as witness, advocate, etc. (1661) and its etymon classical Latin affectāre to try to accomplish, to set out on, attempt (a journey, etc.), to try to reach or achieve, to strive after, to aspire to, to try to take possession of, to attempt to conquer, to pretend to have, to lay claim to, to pretend (to be or to do something, or that something is the case), to seize hold of, in post-classical Latin also to convey (property, etc.) (from 12th cent. in continental sources), to bequeath (12th cent. in a continental source), to register emotion (a1217 in a British source), to inspect, approve (1268 in a British source), to intend (1294 in a British source), frequentative formation < afficere affect v.² The French word shows a medieval borrowing < Latin; for the inherited French reflex of an alteration of the same Latin word see afaite v. Compare Spanish afeitar to decorate, beautify (13th cent.; now frequently in senses ‘to shave’ or ‘to apply make-up’), Italian affettare to feign (end of the 14th cent.). Compare affect v.² and discussion at that entry.The form effect is found sporadically from the 17th cent. onwards; compare discussion at affect v.² and general discussion at effect n.

Etymology: < Middle French, French affecter to have a physical or moral effect on (15th cent.; compare Anglo-Norman affeeter to affect, change (late 13th cent.)), to apply or assign (something) for a particular use (1551) and its etymon classical Latin affect-, past participial stem of afficere to produce a physical effect on, to influence, to cause (a person) to be endowed with or to enjoy favour with, to cause (a person) to be involved in (disgrace, etc.), to visit with (death, torture, punishment, etc.), to produce a harmful effect on, to cause to suffer, to cause harm to, to cause (a person) to be affected by (an emotion, etc.), to stir, to move strongly, to cause (an activity, etc.) to approach completion, to make substantial progress with, in post-classical Latin also to strive after (12th and 13th centuries in British sources), to burden or assail with (13th cent. in British sources), (in passive) to be disposed in some way towards (13th cent. in a British source), to be well disposed, devoted (from 14th cent. in British sources), to be minded to (15th cent. in a British source) < af- , variant of ad- (see af- prefix) + facere to do, make (see fact n.). Compare earlier affect v.¹It could alternatively be argued that the present verb simply shows specific sense developments of affect v.¹ under the influence of classical Latin afficere . (In dictionaries of French the two verbs are commonly treated etymologically as showing the same origin: compare Französisches etymol. Wörterbuch at affectare. This was also formerly the case in many dictionaries of English.) It is also uncertain whether the senses at branch II. are directly connected with the senses at branch I.; with sense 4 perhaps compare also Middle French affectation affectation n., post-classical Latin affectatio affectation n., post-classical Latin affectatus (see affectate adj.) in sense ‘intended, set aside for’ (9th cent. in a continental source), and senses of post-classical Latin affectare in continental sources (see affect v.¹). Compare also the following senses in French, which are apparently first attested later than the corresponding senses in English: to create a sorrowful or sad impression upon (the spirit) (a1662), to give (something) a particular quality, to change (something) (1680), to allocate (a right, a role, etc.) (1690), (of a disease) to act on (1694). The form effect is found sporadically from the 17th cent. onwards (as it is also for affect v.¹), and is probably due to association with effect n. (or perhaps with effect v.), although compare discussion at effect n.