affair

nounmatter or business to be taken care of; happening activity
nounillicit sexual relationship
nounparty or celebration

Synonyms for affair

noun matter or business to be taken care of; happening activity

Antonyms for affair

Word Origin & History

c.1300, "what one has to do," from Anglo-French afere, Old French afaire (12c., Modern French affaire) "business, event; rank, estate," from the infinitive phrase à faire "to do," from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + facere "to do, make" (see factitious).

A Northern word originally, brought into general use and given a French spelling by Caxton (15c.). General sense of "vague proceedings" (in romance, war, etc.) first attested 1702. Meaning "an affair of the heart; a passionate episode" is from French affaire de coeur (itself attested in English from 1809); to have an affair with someone in this sense is by 1726, earlier have an affair of love:

Example Sentences for affair

In this affair real meanings are rarely conveyed except by silences.

"My aunt will treat the affair like the sensible woman she is," replied the earl.

If she wanted to do the sort of thing she was doing, that was her affair.

But Joe's affair with Sidney had been the talk of the neighborhood.

I thought, the moment I saw you, that you were here for this affair.

At last the child was quiet and slept; but his mother had miscalculated the affair.

But Rico did not take the same view of the affair as his little friend.

Hiram sat gazing silently at the road, as if all this was no affair of his.

The affair which has given us so much anxiety is drawing to a happy conclusion.

She withdrew a pace, almost as though washing her hands of the affair.

affair

Synonyms for affair

Antonyms for affair

amour

assignation

binge

business

businesses

affair

Synonyms for affair

Antonyms for affair

More words related to affair

adultery

amour

assignation

binge

business

businesses