Dictionary entry

Affinity

Webster's Dictionary 1913

Af‐fin″i‐ty (�), n.; pl.Affinities(�). [OF. afinité, F. affinité, L. affinites, fr. affinis. See Affined.]

1. Relationship by marriage (as between a husband and his wife's blood relations, or between a wife and her husband's blood relations); — in contradistinction to consanguinity, or relationship by blood; — followed by with, to, or between.

Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh.

1 Kings iii. 1.

2. Kinship generally; close agreement; relation; conformity; resemblance; connection; as, the affinity of sounds, of colors, or of languages.

There is a close affinity between imposture and credulity.

Sir G. C. Lewis.

2. Companionship; acquaintance.

About forty years past, I began a happy affinity with William Cranmer.

Burton.

4. (Chem.) That attraction which takes place, at an insensible distance, between the heterogeneous particles of bodies, and unites them to form chemical compounds; chemism; chemical or elective affinity or attraction.

5. (Nat. Hist.) A relation between species or highe� groups dependent on resemblance in the whole plan of structure, and indicating community of origin.

6. (Spiritualism) A superior spiritual relationship or attraction held to exist sometimes between persons, esp. persons of the opposite sex; also, the man or woman who exerts such psychical or spiritual attraction.