AFFINITY

Pronunciation (US):

• AFFINITY (noun)
  The noun AFFINITY has 7 senses:

1. the force attracting atoms to each other and binding them together in a molecule
2. (immunology) the attraction between an antigen and an antibody
3. (anthropology) kinship by marriage or adoption; not a blood relationship
4. (biology) state of relationship between organisms or groups of organisms resulting in resemblance in structure or structural parts
5. a close connection marked by community of interests or similarity in nature or character
6. inherent resemblance between persons or things
7. a natural attraction or feeling of kinship

  Familiarity information: AFFINITY used as a noun is common.

• AFFINITY (noun)

Meaning:

The force attracting atoms to each other and binding them together in a molecule

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Synonyms:

affinity; chemical attraction

Context example:

basic dyes have an affinity for wool and silk

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

force ((physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity)

Meaning:

(immunology) the attraction between an antigen and an antibody

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

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

attraction; attractive force (the force by which one object attracts another)

Domain category:

immunology (the branch of medical science that studies the body's immune system)

Meaning:

(anthropology) kinship by marriage or adoption; not a blood relationship

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

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

family relationship; kinship; relationship ((anthropology) relatedness or connection by blood or marriage or adoption)

Domain category:

anthropology (the social science that studies the origins and social relationships of human beings)

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

steprelationship (a family relationship by virtue of remarriage)

Antonym:

consanguinity ((anthropology) related by blood)

Meaning:

(biology) state of relationship between organisms or groups of organisms resulting in resemblance in structure or structural parts

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Synonyms:

phylogenetic relation; affinity

Context example:

in anatomical structure prehistoric man shows close affinity with modern humans

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

family relationship; kinship; relationship ((anthropology) relatedness or connection by blood or marriage or adoption)

Domain category:

biological science; biology (the science that studies living organisms)

Meaning:

A close connection marked by community of interests or similarity in nature or character

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Synonyms:

kinship; affinity

Context examples:

found a natural affinity with the immigrants / felt a deep kinship with the other students / anthropology's kinship with the humanities

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

relation (an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together)

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

rapport; resonance (a relationship of mutual understanding or trust and agreement between people)

sympathy (a relation of affinity or harmony between people; whatever affects one correspondingly affects the other)

Meaning:

Inherent resemblance between persons or things

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

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

resemblance (similarity in appearance or external or superficial details)

Meaning:

A natural attraction or feeling of kinship

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context examples:

an affinity for politics / the mysterious affinity between them / James's affinity with Sam

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

attraction; attractiveness (the quality of arousing interest; being attractive or something that attracts)