SKIP TO CONTENT

affection

/əˈfɛkʃən/
/əˈfekʃən/
IPA guide

Other forms: affections

Affection is the positive feeling you may have or express for other people or things. Your grandma may show her affection for you by pinching your cheek, and you may show your affection for your dog by rubbing her belly.

Not everybody is good at showing affection to their loved ones, like old-school dads or tough guys in action movies. If people don't get enough affection, they crave it, and will go to great lengths to get it. You might say that affection is what Luke wanted from Darth Vader all along, in Star Wars.

Definitions of affection
  1. noun
    a positive feeling of liking
    “he had trouble expressing the affection he felt”
    see moresee less
    types:
    attachment, fond regard
    a feeling of affection for a person or an institution
    protectiveness
    a feeling of protective affection
    regard, respect
    a feeling of friendship and esteem
    soft spot
    a sentimental affection
    type of:
    feeling
    the experiencing of affective and emotional states
Pronunciation
US
/əˈfɛkʃən/
UK
/əˈfekʃən/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘affection'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family