If you have an affinitywith someone or something, you feel that you are similar to them or that you know and understand them very well.
He has a close affinity with the landscape he knew when he was growing up. [+ with]
There was clearly an affinity between the two men.
Synonyms: attraction, liking, leaning, sympathy More Synonyms of affinity
2. countable noun
If people or things have an affinity with each other, they are similar in some ways.
[formal]
The two plots share certain obvious affinities.
Synonyms: similarity, relationship, relation, connection More Synonyms of affinity
affinity in British English
(əˈfɪnɪtɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-ties
1. (foll bywith or for)
a natural liking, taste, or inclination towards a person or thing
2.
the person or thing so liked
3.
a close similarity in appearance or quality; inherent likeness
4.
relationship by marriage or by ties other than of blood, as by adoption
Compare consanguinity
5.
similarity in structure, form, etc, between different animals, plants, or languages
6. chemistry
a.
the tendency for two substances to combine; chemical attraction
b.
a measure of the tendency of a chemical reaction to take place expressed in terms of the free energy change
Symbol: A
7. biology
a measure of the degree of interaction between two molecules, such as an antigen and antibody or a hormone and its receptor
Derived forms
affinitive (afˈfinitive)
adjective
Word origin
C14: via Old French from Latin affīnitāt- connected by marriage, from affīnis bordering on, related
affinity in American English
(əˈfɪnɪti) (nounplural -ties)
noun
1.
a natural liking for or attraction to a person, thing, idea, etc
2.
a person, thing, idea, etc, for which such a natural liking or attraction is felt
3.
relationship by marriage or by ties other than those of blood (distinguished from consanguinity)
4.
inherent likeness or agreement; close resemblance or connection
5. Biology
the phylogenetic relationship between two organisms or groups of organisms resulting in a resemblance in general plan or structure, or in the essential structural parts
6. Chemistry
the force by which atoms are held together in chemical compounds
adjective
7.
of or pertaining to persons who share the same interests
to arrange charter flights for opera lovers and other affinity groups
Word origin
[1275–1325; ME affinite ‹ MF ‹ L affīnitās connection by marriage. See affine, -ity]
Examples of 'affinity' in a sentence
affinity
I think people also have a natural affinity for brothers and siblings.
The Sun (2016)
It is part of our identity and we have a great affinity with it.
The Sun (2009)
You have a natural affinity for jobs in the emergency services.
The Sun (2009)
The pair clearly share an artistic affinity.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
How to explain the special affinity between gardener and dachshund?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Everyone that gets to know him has a great fondness and affinity with him.
The Sun (2012)
Seal has discovered a lucrative franchise in a genre with which he has little natural affinity.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It makes others feel an affinity with you.
The Sun (2006)
Luck is there to turn a natural affinity for property into a big business.
The Sun (2008)
It is more that he feels a natural affinity with the strong.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The thing that always strikes me is that there's an affinity between people like that.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Another racecourse striving for closer affinity with its neighbourhood is Newbury.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
His interest in the Senegal project did not come from any great affinity for the oil industry.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He says he feels a special affinity with the south coast city where his British odyssey began.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Do you feel an affinity with Dennis?
The Sun (2008)
MAN has always had a special affinity with dogs.
The Sun (2013)
I have a special affinity for him.
Christianity Today (2000)
I have a great affinity with it.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It is an affinity thing.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
I feel an affinity with nature.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
What is surprising about the series is the unusual chemistry between these two characters, who share an affinity and respect despite their obvious differences.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Besides, Bermuda has a special affinity with such things.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
affinity
British English: affinity NOUN
If you have an affinity with someone or something, you feel that you are similar to them or that you know and understand them very well.
He has a close affinity with the landscape he knew when he was growing up.
American English: affinity
Brazilian Portuguese: afinidade
Chinese: 亲切感
European Spanish: afinidad
French: affinité
German: Verbundenheit
Italian: affinità
Japanese: 親近感
Korean: 친근감
European Portuguese: afinidade
Latin American Spanish: afinidad
Chinese translation of 'affinity'
affinity
(əˈfɪnɪtɪ)
n
(s) (= bond)
to have an affinity with sb/sth和某人/某物有亲(親)近感 (hé mǒurén/mǒuwù yǒu qīnjìngǎn)
(c) (= resemblance) 相似 (xiāngsì)
1 (noun)
Definition
a feeling of closeness to and understanding of a person
There is a natural affinity between the two.
Synonyms
attraction
liking
She had a liking for good clothes.
leaning
I always had a leaning towards sport.
sympathy
I still have sympathy with this point of view.
inclination
She set out to follow her artistic inclinations.
rapport
He said he wanted to establish a rapport with them.
fondness
a great fondness for children
partiality
a partiality for junk food
aroha (New Zealand)
Opposites
hostility
,
dislike
,
hatred
,
loathing
,
animosity
,
aversion
,
revulsion
,
antipathy
,
abhorrence
,
repugnance
2 (noun)
Definition
a close similarity in appearance, structure, or quality
The two plots share certain obvious affinities.
Synonyms
similarity
the astonishing similarity between my brother and my eldest son
relationship
Money problems place great stress on close family relationships.
relation
connection
I no longer have any connection with my ex-husband's family.
alliance
an alliance between philanthropy and medicine
correspondence
correspondences between Eastern religions and Christianity
analogy
The analogy between music and fragrance has stuck.
resemblance
There was a remarkable resemblance between them.
closeness
likeness
These stories have a startling likeness to one another.
compatibility
The committee will consider the bill's compatibility with human rights law.
kinship
She evidently felt a sense of kinship with the woman.
Opposites
difference
,
disparity
,
dissimilarity
Additional synonyms
in the sense of alliance
Definition
the state of being allied
an alliance between philanthropy and medicine
Synonyms
relationship,
association,
bond,
connection,
affinity,
rapport,
kinship
in the sense of analogy
Definition
a comparison made to show such a similarity
The analogy between music and fragrance has stuck.
Synonyms
similarity,
relation,
comparison,
parallel,
correspondence,
resemblance,
correlation,
likeness,
equivalence,
homology,
similitude
in the sense of compatibility
The committee will consider the bill's compatibility with human rights law.