AFFECTION

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French ~, from Latin ~-, affectio, from afficere Date: 13th century a moderate feeling or emotion, tender attachment ; fondness , 3. a. a bodily condition, disease , malady , attribute , partiality , prejudice , the feeling aspect (as in pleasure) of consciousness, 6. propensity , disposition , affectation 1, the action of affecting ; the state of being affected, see: feeling ~less adjective