affiliate
UK: əˈfɪli.eɪt | US: əˈfɪli.eɪt
n. an organization or individual officially connected to a larger group
vt. to officially connect or associate with a larger organization
vi. to join or associate oneself with a group
The word "affiliate" originates from Latin affiliare ("to adopt as a son"), combining ad- (to) + filius (son). It initially described familial adoption, later evolving to denote formal organizational connections. The morpheme fili reflects the idea of "lineage" or "branching," metaphorically extended to institutional relationships. The suffix -ate standardizes the verb form, aligning with Latin-derived English verbs.
The local club decided to affiliate with the national association.
She works for an affiliate of a major tech company.
Universities often affiliate with research institutes.
The NGO is affiliated with the United Nations.
To gain credibility, the startup sought to affiliate with industry leaders.