affair

noun

af·​fair ə-ˈfer 

1

a

affairs plural : commercial, professional, public, or personal business

handles the company's public affairs

an expert in foreign affairs

b

: matter, concern

How I choose to live is my affair, not yours.

2

: a procedure, action, or occasion only vaguely specified

also : an object or collection of objects only vaguely specified

Their house was a 2-story affair.

3

or less commonly affaire

a

: a romantic or passionate attachment typically of limited duration : liaison sense 2b

had an affair with a coworker

b

: a matter occasioning public anxiety, controversy, or scandal : case

the Watergate affair of the early 1970s

Synonyms

• amour
• fling
• love
• love affair
• romance

Examples of affair in a Sentence

After the war, the government focused on its own domestic affairs.

They accused the U.S. of interfering in the internal affairs of other nations.

How I choose to live is my affair, not yours.

adulterous affairs between married men and single women

Recent Examples on the Web

However, the boyfriend eventually had an affair with another girl. —Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024

As Americans cast their votes, a Chinese Embassy spokesperson reaffirmed Beijing's commitment to respecting the United States' internal affairs, stating that China hopes to collaborate with the U.S. regardless of the election's outcome. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Liam was so loved by so many people, there will obviously be enormous demand and so the service will necessarily be a huge affair. —Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 5 Nov. 2024

But the kind of welcome the superyacht community received during Red Sea Week was a one-time affair. —Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English aferes "activities," affaire "enterprise," borrowed from Anglo-French afaire, affere "business, activity, enterprise, matter, topic, situation," from the phrase a faire "to do," from a "to" (going back to Latin ad) + faire "to do," going back to Latin facere — more at at entry 1, do entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing affair

• love affair
• none of someone's affair/business

Kids Definition

affair

noun

af·​fair ə-ˈfa(ə)r 

-ˈfe(ə)r

1

a

plural : commercial, professional, public, or personal business

government affairs

arranged my affairs before leaving

b

: concern entry 2 sense 1, matter

not your affair at all

2

a

: event sense 1b, activity

a social affair

b

: product sense 2, thing

the house was a two-story affair

3

: a brief romantic relationship