affinities

Noun

affinity (countable and uncountable, plural affinities)

1. A natural attraction or feeling of kinship to a person or thing.

   Synonyms:

   kindred

2. A family relationship through marriage of a relative (e.g. sister-in-law), as opposed to consanguinity (e.g. sister).
3. A kinsman or kinswoman of a such relationship; one who is affinal.
4. The fact of and manner in which something is related to another.
   • There are, of course, certain differences of detail; for example, the placing of the safety valves on the boiler barrel behind the dome, which follows the practice in the Riddles 2-8-0 and 2-10-0 locomotives for the Ministry of Supply; but taken all in all, Britannia's boiler has a closer affinity...1951 April, Stirling Everard, “A Matter of Pedigree”, in Railway Magazine, number 600, page 273
5. Any romantic relationship.
6. A love interest; a paramour.
   • "Cut it short, sis, cut it short," he would growl at her if she started to murmur sweet "coo-coos" to her affinity stationed on the other end of the wire.1916 August, The Electrical Experimenter, New York, page 248, column 3

See all 13 meanings of affinity