Affectation

Pronunciation: /ˌæfɛkˈteɪʃən/

Definitions of affectation

noun a show, pretense, or display of manners, feelings, or beliefs that are not genuine or natural

Example Sentences

A1 Her constant use of big words is just an affectation to seem smarter.

A2 His fake British accent is just an affectation he picked up from watching too much TV.

B1 She adopted a pretentious affectation of speaking in a posh accent.

B2 The actor's affectation of being humble in interviews is seen as insincere by many.

C1 The author's affectation of using archaic language in his writing can be off-putting to modern readers.

C2 The politician's affectation of being a man of the people is contradicted by his lavish lifestyle.

Examples of affectation in a Sentence

formal Her affectation of wealth was evident in the way she flaunted expensive designer clothes.

informal Stop with the affectation of sophistication, just be yourself.

slang Her affectation of being cool is so annoying, she's just trying too hard.

figurative His constant affectation of happiness masked the pain he was truly feeling inside.

Grammatical Forms of affectation

• past tense: affected
• plural: affectations
• comparative: more affected
• superlative: most affected
• present tense: affect
• future tense: will affect
• perfect tense: have affected
• continuous tense: is affecting
• singular: affectation
• positive degree: affected
• infinitive: to affect
• gerund: affecting
• participle: affected

Origin and Evolution of affectation

First Known Use: 1542 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'affectation' originated from the Latin word 'affectatio', which means a striving after, a desire for, or a pretense of.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe a deliberate pretense or display of artificial behavior, 'affectation' has evolved to also encompass behaviors or mannerisms that are perceived as insincere or exaggerated.