Affinities

a natural liking for or attraction to a person, thing, idea, etc.
a person, thing, idea, etc., for which such a natural liking or attraction is felt.
relationship by marriage or by ties other than those of blood (distinguished from ).
inherent likeness or agreement; close resemblance or connection.
biology. the phylogenetic relationship between two organisms or groups of organisms resulting in a resemblance in general plan or structure, or in the essential structural parts.
chemistry. the force by which atoms are held together in chemical compounds.
of or relating to persons who share the same interests:
to arrange charter flights for opera lovers and other affinity groups.
contemporary examples

olivier is based loosely on alexis de tocqueville and parrot has affinities with audubon.
the best of brit lit peter stothard january 30, 2010

these affinities are arguably at the heart of the 40-year dalliance of iranian and syrian despots.
iranian clerics about to fall? abbas milani september 12, 2011

historical examples

they talk of affinities between the autograph and the character: what affinity was there here?
the professor (aka charlotte bronte) currer bell

there were many points of resemblance between altamont and hatteras, but no affinities.
the field of ice jules verne

these wild dogs of south africa have some affinities with hyenas.
the vee-boers mayne reid

they have no affinities—no attractions—no tendencies to coalesce.
thirty years’ view (vol. i of 2) thomas hart benton

to put it in a very hackneyed way, we were not each other’s affinities.
the mummy and miss nitocris george griffith

the creole and the mexican were affinities, although with seas between them.
gardens of the caribbees, v. 1/2 ida may hill starr

the elder de candolle has made nearly similar observations on the general nature of the affinities of distinct orders of plants.
on the origin of species by means of natural selection charles darwin

on the affinities of extinct species to each other and to living species.
on the origin of species charles darwin

noun (pl) -ties
foll by with or for. a natural liking, taste, or inclination towards a person or thing
the person or thing so liked
a close similarity in appearance or quality; inherent likeness
relationship by marriage or by ties other than of blood, as by adoption compare consanguinity
similarity in structure, form, etc, between different animals, plants, or languages
(chem)

the tendency for two substances to combine; chemical attraction
a measure of the tendency of a chemical reaction to take place expressed in terms of the free energy change a

(biology) a measure of the degree of interaction between two molecules, such as an antigen and antibody or a hormone and its receptor
n.

c.1300, “relation by marriage” (as opposed to consanguinity), from old french afinité (12c.), from latin affinitatem (nominative affinitas) “neighborhood, relationship by marriage,” noun of state from affinis “adjacent,” also “kin by marriage,” literally “bordering on,” from ad- “to” (see ad-) + finis “a border, an end” (see finish). used figuratively since c.1600 of structural relationships in chemistry, philology, etc. meaning “natural attraction” (as though by family) is from 1610s.

affinity af·fin·i·ty (ə-fĭn’ĭ-tē)
n.

an attraction or force between particles that causes them to combine.

the attraction between an antigen and an antibody.

a relationship or resemblance in structure between species that suggests a common origin.

the selective staining of a tissue by a dye. the selective uptake of a dye, chemical, or other substance by a tissue.

affinity
(ə-fĭn’ĭ-tē)

a relationship or resemblance in structure between species that suggests a common origin.

an attraction or force between particles that causes them to combine, as the attraction between an antigen and an antibody.

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.