## 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
- Emotions & Feelings
- Cause, Change & Process

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