AFFINITY

AFFIN'ITY, noun [Latin affinitas, from affinis, adjacent, related by marriage; ad and finis, end.]1. The relation contracted by marriage, between a husband and his wife's kindred, and between a wife and her husband's kindred; in contradistinction from consanguinity or relation by blood.Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh. 1 Kings 3:1.2. Agreement; relation; conformity; resemblance; connection; as, the affinity of sounds, of colors, or of languages.3. In chimistry, attraction; elective attraction, or that tendency which different species of matter have to unite, and combine with certain other bodies, and the power that disposes them to continue in combination There are two kinds of affinity 1. affinity of aggregation, which is the power that causes two homogeneous bodies to tend towards each other, unite and cohere, as two drops of water, which unite in one.2. affinity of composition, which is the tendency of bodies of different kinds to unite and form new combinations of bodies with different properties. Such is the affinity which unites acids and alkalies, the results of which combination are neutral salts.The operations of this principle are various. When heterogeneous bodies have mutually an equal attraction, it is called compound affinity When one substance decomposes a combination of others, unites with one of them and precipitates the other, the power is called the affinity of decomposition. When bodies will not unite, but by means of a third, which enables them to combine, this is affinity by means of a medium.Double affinity is when by means of four bodies, two decompositions and two new combinations are effected.

---

1Ki 3:1; Relationship by marriage; as consanguinity is relationship by blood. The degrees within which relatives were forbidden by the Levitical law to intermarry, may be found in Le 18:1-30.

---

Affinity. Affinity
Relationship by alliance (2 Chr. 18:1) or by marriage (1 Kings 3:1). Marriages are prohibited within certain degrees of affinity, enumerated Lev. 18:6-17. Consanguinity is relationship by blood.

---

[MARRIAGE]

---

affinity. Affinity, n. kindred, relation by marriage, likeness, tendency to combine or unite

---

Af‐fin″i‐ty (�), n.; pl. Affinities(�). [[OF. afinité, F. affinité, L. affinites, fr. affinis. See Affined.]] 1. 1. Relationship by marriage (as between a husband and his wife's blood relations, or between a wife and her husband's blood relations); — in contradistinction to consanguinity, or relationship by blood; — followed by with, to, or between.
Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh. 1 Kings iii. 1. 2. 2. Kinship generally; close agreement; relation; conformity; resemblance; connection; as, the affinity of sounds, of colors, or of languages.
There is a close affinity between imposture and credulity. Sir G. C. Lewis. 2. 2. Companionship; acquaintance.
About forty years past, I began a happy affinity with William Cranmer. Burton. 4. 4. (Chem.) That attraction which takes place, at an insensible distance, between the heterogeneous particles of bodies, and unites them to form chemical compounds; chemism; chemical or elective affinity or attraction.
5. 5. (Nat. Hist.) A relation between species or highe� groups dependent on resemblance in the whole plan of structure, and indicating community of origin.
6. 6. (Spiritualism) A superior spiritual relationship or attraction held to exist sometimes between persons, esp. persons of the opposite sex; also, the man or woman who exerts such psychical or spiritual attraction.