Af*fin"i*ty (#), n.; 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 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.
© Webster 1913. | 
