affair
UK: əˈfeə(r) | US: əˈfer
n. a matter or situation of interest or importance
n. a romantic or sexual relationship outside marriage
n. (formal) an event or sequence of events
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The word "affair" originates from Old French "a faire," meaning "to do." The prefix "af-" is a phonetic variant of "ad-" (Latin for "to"), while "fair" derives from Latin "facere" (to do/make). Over time, it evolved to signify "matters to be dealt with" (14th century) and later acquired specialized meanings like "romantic involvement" (18th century). The semantic shift reflects how "doing" something expanded into abstract "matters" or "events."
The diplomat handled the international affair skillfully.
Their secret affair lasted for years before being discovered.
Organizing the festival was a complex affair.
She prefers to keep her personal affairs private.
The scandal became a public affair after media coverage.