affection

A warm feeling of love or liking for someone or something.

• She showed her affection with a hug.
• He felt deep affection for his grandmother.
• They still speak of their old teacher with affection.

How to use it: affection for someone/something (He has great affection for his old school.); with affection (She spoke of her grandfather with affection.)

Similar words: fondness, love

Opposites: hatred

Common phrases: affection for someone, show affection, deep affection

The process or state of being changed or influenced by something.

• The essay explores the affection of the mind by music.
• He distinguished direct affection by heat from later changes.
• The chapter considers external affection of the senses.

How to use it: affection of something by something (The philosopher described the affection of the senses by external objects.)

Common phrases: affection by something, external affection, affection of something

A quality, feature, or condition that something has.

• The philosopher called shape an affection of matter.
• He listed several affections of the human body.
• In that theory, motion is an affection of physical objects.

How to use it: an affection of something (The writer treats weight as an affection of matter.)

Similar words: property, attribute, condition

Common phrases: affection of matter, bodily affection, essential affection

An illness or unhealthy condition affecting part of the body.

• The physician diagnosed a chronic affection of the lungs.
• The record mentions several nervous affections.
• He received treatment for an affection of the heart.

How to use it: an affection of something (The old report describes an affection of the lungs.)

Similar words: illness, disease, disorder

Common phrases: nervous affection, chronic affection, affection of something