 1 definition found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Affinity \Af*fin"i*ty\, noun; pl. {Affinities}. [OF. afinit['e],
F. affinit['e], 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. [Obs.]
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 higher 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.
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