affiliation

UK: /əˌfɪliˈeɪʃ^ən/ US: /əˌfɪliˈeɪʃən/ ,(ə fil′ē ā′shən)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

af•fil•i•a•tion  (ə fil′ē ā′shən), n. 

1. the act of affiliating;
   state of being affiliated or associated.

• Medieval Latin affīliātiōn- (stem of affīliātiō adoption); see affiliate, -ion
• 1745–55

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

af•fil•i•ate /v. əˈfɪliˌeɪt; n. -ɪt, -ˌeɪt/   v., -at•ed, -at•ing, n. 
v. 

1. to attach or bring into close association or connection: [no object]
   The two groups affiliated.
   [~ + object* often: be + affiliated + with + object]
   The research center is affiliated with the university.
   [~ + oneself + with]
   affiliated themselves with a political party.

n. [countable]

2. a branch organization;
   a business organization owned or controlled by another concern:
   a TV network's affiliates.

af•fil•i•a•tion /əˌfɪliˈeɪʃən/  n. [countable* uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

af•fil•i•ate  (v. ə fil′ē āt′;n. ə fil′ē it, -āt′), v., -at•ed, -at•ing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to bring into close association or connection:
   The research center is affiliated with the university.
2. to attach or unite on terms of fellowship;
   associate (usually fol. by with in U.S. usage, by to in Brit. usage):
   to affiliate with the church.
3. to trace the descent, derivation, or origin of:
   to affiliate a language.
4. to adopt.
5. Law to fix the paternity of, as an illegitimate child:
   The mother affiliated her child upon John Doe.

v.i. 

6. to associate oneself;
   be intimately united in action or interest.

n. 

7. a branch organization.
8. [Com.]
   • Business a business concern owned or controlled in whole or in part by another concern.
   • Business a subsidiary.
9. Communications a person who is affiliated;
   associate;
   auxiliary.

• Latin affīliātus adopted as son (past participle of affīliāre), equivalent. to af- af- + fīli(us) son + -ātus -ate¹
• 1755–65

af•fil•i•a•ble  (ə fil′ē ə bəl), adj.  af•fil•i•a•tive  (ə fil′ē ā′tiv, -fil′ē ə-), adj.