English Online Dictionary. What means affair? What does affair mean?
English
Alternative forms
- affaire (obsolete)
Etymology
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.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /əˈfɛə/
- (General American) IPA(key): /əˈfɛɹ/, /əˈfɛɚ/
- Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)
- Hyphenation: af‧fair
Noun
affair (plural affairs)
- (often in the plural) Something which is done or is to be done; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public.
- Synonyms: matter, concern
- Any proceeding or action which it is wished to refer to or characterize vaguely.
- an affair of honor ― a duel
- an affair of love ― an intrigue
- (military) An action or engagement not of sufficient magnitude to be called a battle.
- A material object (vaguely designated).
- An adulterous relationship, chiefly of a married person. (from affaire de cœur, affair of the heart).
- An otherwise illicit romantic relationship, such as with someone who is not one's regular partner (boyfriend, girlfriend).
- A person with whom someone has an adulterous relationship.
- A party or social gathering, especially of a formal nature.
- (slang, now rare) The (male or female) genitals.
Derived terms
Translations
See also
- liaison
References
- “affair”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
Anagrams
- raffia
Spanish
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from English affair, from French affaire.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /aˈfeɾ/ [aˈfeɾ]
- Rhymes: -eɾ
Noun
affair m (plural affaires)
- affair (extramarital relationship)
- Synonym: aventura
Usage notes
According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.