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affection
/afɛksjɔ̃/
tenderness or fondness
Elle lui a montré son affection en lui offrant un cadeau.
She showed her affection by giving him a gift.
formalinformal
A feeling of fondness or tenderness toward someone or something.
Il ressent une profonde affection pour sa famille.
He feels deep affection for his family.
Can refer to both emotional attachment and physical displays of love.
informal
A mild or superficial fondness, often without deep emotional commitment.
Elle a une affection particulière pour les chats.
She has a particular fondness for cats.
Often used in a less intense way than 'amour' (love).
Collocations
avoir de l'affection pourto have affection formontrer son affectionto show affectionmarquer de l'affectionto show affection
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Context Matters
In formal contexts, 'affection' leans toward emotional attachment, while in informal contexts, it can describe mild fondness.
Gold Rule
Avoid Overlap with 'Amour'
'Affection' is less intense than 'amour' (love) and is often used for familial or platonic relationships.
Word Origin
From Latin 'affectio', meaning 'inclination, disposition, affection'.
Usage Notes
In French, 'affection' is often used in a broader sense than in English, encompassing both emotional and physical expressions of care.
Word Breakdown
affect-
to influence, act upon
root-tion
action or state of
suffixDictionnaire Français-Anglais