affair
/əˈfɛɹ/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.30 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Something which is done or is to be done; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public.
noun
Any proceeding or action which it is wished to refer to or characterize vaguely.
noun
An action or engagement not of sufficient magnitude to be called a battle.
noun
A material object (vaguely designated).
noun
An adulterous relationship, chiefly of a married person. (from affaire de cœur, affair of the heart).
noun
An otherwise illicit romantic relationship, such as with someone who is not one's regular partner (boyfriend, girlfriend).
noun
A person with whom someone has an adulterous relationship.
noun
A party or social gathering, especially of a formal nature.
Example Sentences
- "a difficult affair to manage"
- "Responsibility is my affair, reciprocity is his."
- "There are a number of issues external to the institution that can influence the fiscal management of student affairs."
- "an affair of honor"
- "an affair of love"
- "The house was a ramshackle affair."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Latin ad Old French a Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₁kyéti Proto-Italic *θakjō Proto-Italic *fakjō Latin facio Old French faire Old French afaireder. Middle English afere English affair From Middle English afere, affere, from Old French afaire, from a- + faire (“to do”), from Latin ad- + facere (“to do”). See fact, and compare ado.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: afere, afaire, ad-, *dʰeh₁-
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /əˈfɛɹ/
- British English: /əˈfɛə/