AFFAIR

Pronunciation (US):

• AFFAIR (noun)
  The noun AFFAIR has 3 senses:

1. a vaguely specified concern
2. a usually secretive or illicit sexual relationship
3. a vaguely specified social event

  Familiarity information: AFFAIR used as a noun is uncommon.

• AFFAIR (noun)

Meaning:

A vaguely specified concern

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

affair; matter; thing

Context examples:

several matters to attend to / it is none of your affair / things are going well

Hypernyms ("affair" is a kind of...):

concern (something that interests you because it is important or affects you)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "affair"):

least (something that is of no importance)

Meaning:

A usually secretive or illicit sexual relationship

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

affaire; amour; liaison; affair; intimacy; involvement

Hypernyms ("affair" is a kind of...):

sexual relationship (a relationship involving sexual intimacy)

Meaning:

A vaguely specified social event

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

social occasion; social function; occasion; affair; function

Context examples:

the party was quite an affair / an occasion arranged to honor the president / a seemingly endless round of social functions

Hypernyms ("affair" is a kind of...):

social event (an event characteristic of persons forming groups)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "affair"):

party (an occasion on which people can assemble for social interaction and entertainment)

celebration; jubilation (a joyful occasion for special festivities to mark some happy event)

ceremonial; ceremonial occasion; ceremony; observance (a formal event performed on a special occasion)

fundraiser (a social function that is held for the purpose of raising money)

photo op; photo opportunity (an occasion that lends itself to (or is deliberately arranged for) taking photographs that provide favorable publicity for those who are photographed)

sleepover (an occasion of spending a night away from home or having a guest spend the night in your home (especially as a party for children))