affinity
UK: əˈfɪnɪti | US: əˈfɪnɪti
n. a natural liking or connection between people or things
n. a similarity or relationship between substances that allows them to combine chemically
n. (biology) a taxonomic relationship indicating common ancestry
The word "affinity" originates from Latin affinitas, derived from affinis ("bordering on, related by marriage"), combining ad- (to, toward) and finis (end, boundary). Originally, it described relationships by marriage (neighbors metaphorically "bordering" on each other’s families). Over time, it expanded to denote natural connections or chemical attractions, preserving the core idea of closeness or shared boundaries.
She felt an immediate affinity with the artistic community.
The chemist studied the affinity between the two compounds.
Their cultural affinities made collaboration effortless.
Hemoglobin has a high affinity for oxygen.
The software detects linguistic affinities across dialects.