affair

noun

af·​fair ə-ˈfer How to pronounce affair (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While it wasn’t publicly acknowledged, the little girl was the product of an affair between Ruth and a woman named Juanita Jennings. Alex Gurley, People.com, 29 Mar. 2025 To Draft Women Into the Military Amid Greenland, Russia Tensions Europe Split on Defense Plan Amid Russia Threat Greenland governs its own domestic affairs, but Copenhagen decides on foreign and defense policy. Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025 The president's criticism of Berlin has compelled Germany to increase funding for its military forces and infrastructure, which critics say are in a bad state of affairs. Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2025 The sport has long held competitions amid a backdrop of major international affairs. Chris Kenning, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for affair

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of affair was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Affair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affair. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

affair

noun
af·​fair ə-ˈfa(ə)r How to pronounce affair (audio)
-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

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