Af*fin"i*ty (&?;), n.;
pl. Affinities(&?;). [OF.
afinité, F. affinité, 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 highe&?; 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.
Hear it pronounced