Etymology: < afflict v. Compare post-classical Latin afflictus conflict (14th cent. in a British source). Compare earlier affliction n., and also earlier afflict adj.

Etymology: Partly (i) < Middle French afflict, aflict (10th cent. in Old French, originally in a text with archaizing spellings, in later use showing remodelling after classical Latin afflīctus ), variants of Anglo-Norman and Middle French afflit, Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French aflit (late 12th cent. use in Old French), use as adjective of past participle of afflire , aflire (see afflict v.); and partly (ii) < classical Latin afflīctus in a state of ruin, shattered, use as adjective of past participle of afflīgere afflict v. Compare afflict v.The α. forms are difficult to account for, as also are α. forms at afflict v. They may reflect borrowing or influence of Anglo-Norman aflit , Anglo-Norman and Middle French afflit , with the spellings arising by analogy with words that have -iht , -ight , etc. as spellings for /iːt/ as a result of development from earlier /ixt/, as e.g. light n.¹, fright n. Compare delight n. for a similar phenomenon. However, if so, the absence of spellings of the type afflite is surprising. Another possible explanation is that these forms may show a completely different origin, showing use as adjective of the past participle of aflight v. (although that verb is first attested slightly later); compare also afleyed adj. 2, which shows the same semantic development; alternatively, the French and Latin borrowing may have been altered as a result of association with aflight v. It is possible that both association with aflight v. and the same graphic phenomenon as shown by delight n. played a part. Compare the form of flyȝte in the following quot., which perhaps shows a reanalysis of a- prefix¹, the prefix of aflight v., as a- prefix⁴, a reduced form of of- prefix:c1350 (a1333) William of Shoreham Poems (1902) 153 Lord, þo we herde þe, We were of flyȝte..Al for þat we beþ naked boþe.

Etymology: < classical Latin afflīct-, past participial stem of afflīgere to dash or strike, to knock down, to demolish, destroy, to damage, injure, to bring ruin or destruction up, to oppress, crush, to overthrow, to vex, to distress < af- , variant of ad- (see af- prefix) + flīgere to dash (see profligate v.). Compare Anglo-Norman and Old French aflire , Anglo-Norman and Middle French afflire (first half of the 12th cent.), and also the learned reborrowing Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French, French affliger (first half of the 12th cent.). Compare also Old Occitan afligir (13th cent.), Catalan afligir (13th cent.; also †aflegir ), Spanish afligir (c1255; a1184 as †aflegir ), Portuguese afligir (14th cent.), Italian affliggere (mid 13th cent.). Compare also Old French, Middle French (rare) afflicter (c1300 and (in past participle afflicté ) 1532, in two apparently isolated attestations) < classical Latin afflictāre to strike repeatedly, to buffet (a person or thing), to oppress, burden (a person), to distress, grieve (a person), a frequentative formation < afflīct- , past participial stem of afflīgere . Compare afflict adj.In sense 3 used to translate Hebrew ʿinēh to humble, weaken, chastise (a person) ( < ʿānāh to be oppressed, to be downcast), but apparently on the model of classical Latin affligere , which appears in the Vulgate versions of these passages. With the α. forms compare the discussion of the α. forms at afflict adj.