affect

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈfɛkt/ See IPA manual

Freq #4096

Meanings

1

verb
To have an effect on something or someone; to change or influence it.

Will the new rules affect me?
2

verb
To cause someone to feel a strong emotion.

He was deeply affected by the sad ending of the film.
3

verb
Of an illness, to harm a part of the body.

Hepatitis affects the liver.
4

verb
To pretend to have a feeling or quality in order to deceive.

He affected a limp so people would feel sorry for him.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to have an effect on... influence change alter touch

2 verb · to cause someone to feel a... move touch

3 verb · of an illness, to harm a... attack harm infect

4 verb · to pretend to have a... sham

Word family

Forms affectedaffectingaffectinglyaffects

Derived forms affectabilityaffectable affectationaffectedaffectedlyaffectednessaffecteeaffecteraffectinglyaffectlessaffectordisaffect

Related forms affection affectionate affective

Etymology

From Middle English affecten, from Anglo-Norman affecter (“strive after”), Middle French affecter (“feign”), and their source, Latin affectāre (“to strive after, aim to do, pursue, imitate with dissimulation, feign”), frequentative of afficere (“to act upon, influence”) (see Etymology 1, above).

affecten Middle English affecter Middle French affectāre Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# affect

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈfɛkt/
**Frequency rank:** 4096

## Meanings
1. To have an effect on something or someone; to change or influence it.
2. To cause someone to feel a strong emotion.
3. Of an illness, to harm a part of the body.
4. To pretend to have a feeling or quality in order to deceive.

## Examples
- Will the new rules affect me?
- He was deeply affected by the sad ending of the film.
- Hepatitis affects the liver.
- He affected a limp so people would feel sorry for him.

## Derived Forms
- affectability
- affectable
- affectation
- affected
- affectedly
- affectedness
- affectee
- affecter
- affectingly
- affectless
- affector
- disaffect

## Related Forms
- affection
- affectionate
- affective

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: affecten
- Root: affecter
- Root: affectāre

## Etymology
From Middle English affecten, from Anglo-Norman affecter (“strive after”), Middle French affecter (“feign”), and their source, Latin affectāre (“to strive after, aim to do, pursue, imitate with dissimulation, feign”), frequentative of afficere (“to act upon, influence”) (see Etymology 1, above).

## AI Etymology
Affect comes from Middle English affecten, from Anglo-Norman affecter (“strive after”), Middle French affecter (“feign”), and their source, Latin affectāre (“to strive after, aim to do, pursue, imitate with dissimulation, feign”), frequentative of afficere (“to act upon, influence”).

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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