affair
UK[əˈfeə(r)]US[əˈfer]
n
an event or a set of related events, especially one that is impressive, important, or shocking
n
a sexual relationship between two people, especially when one or both are married to someone else
n
matters or concerns relating to a particular subject or activity
Morpheme Breakdown
af
fair
af
to
fair
to do
Etymology
The word 'affair' entered English from Anglo-French and Old French 'afaire', a noun formed from the phrase 'a faire' meaning 'to do'. Its core components are the Latin preposition 'ad' (to) and the verb 'facere' (to do, to make). Literally, it signified 'something to be done', which evolved to denote a matter of business or concern. Over time, this broad sense of 'a matter requiring action' specialized into various modern meanings, from a significant public event to a private, often illicit, romantic involvement, all retaining the underlying notion of an active matter or concern.
Analysis
Structure: af + fair
af: A variant of the Latin prefix 'ad-', meaning 'to' or 'toward'. It assimilates to 'af-' before 'f'.
fair: From Old French 'faire', meaning 'to do' or 'to make', ultimately from Latin 'facere'.
Examples
The government's handling of the economic affair was widely criticized.
Rumors of his affair with a colleague began to circulate around the office.
She prefers not to discuss her private affairs with anyone.