Affect
WordNet
noun
(1) The conscious subjective aspect of feeling or emotion
verb
(2) Act physically on; have an effect upon
(3) Have an effect upon
"Will the new rules affect me?"
(4) Make believe with the intent to deceive
"He feigned that he was ill"
"He shammed a headache"
(5) Have an emotional or cognitive impact upon
"This child impressed me as unusually mature"
"This behavior struck me as odd"
(6) Connect closely and often incriminatingly
"This new ruling affects your business"
WiktionaryText
Etymology 1
, pp. of < + .
Verb
- To influence or alter.
- The experience affected me deeply.
- The heat of the sunlight affected the speed of the chemical reaction.
- To move to emotion.
- He was deeply affected by the themes in the play.
- Of an illness or condition, to infect or harm (a part of the body).
- Hepatitis affects the liver.
Usage notes
and are sometimes confused. conveys influence over something that already exists, but indicates the manifestation of new or original ideas or entities:
- “...new governing coalitions during these realigning periods have effected major changes in governmental institutions.”
- “...new governing coalitions during these realigning periods have affected major changes in governmental institutions.”
The former indicates that major changes were made as a result of new governing coalitions, while the latter indicates that before new governing coalitions, major changes were in place, and that the new governing coalitions had some influence over these existing changes.
The verbal noun uses of are distinguished from the verbal noun uses of more clearly than the regular verb forms. An is something that acts or acted upon something else. But an is the result of an action (by something else).
Synonyms
alter, change, have an effect on, have an impact on, influence move, touch attackEtymology 2
Middle English affecten < Old French affecter < Latin affectare (“to strive after a thing, aim to do, aspire to, pursue, imitate with dissimulation, feign; also, in pass., be attacked by disease”); frequentative of afficere (“to act upon, influence”).
Verb
- To make a false display of.
- He managed to affect a smile despite feeling quite miserable.
Etymology 3
< , <
Noun
Usage notes
and can both be used as nouns or verbs, but when used as a noun the word is limited to the above psychology uses and the definitions for effect are much more common. See also the usage notes as a verb above.