affect (1) definition - Dictionary

Dictionary

af·fect [ ə fékt ] (past and past participle af·fect·ed, present participle af·fect·ing, 3rd person present singular af·fects)

transitive verb

Definition:

1. influence somebody or something: to act upon or have an effect on somebody or something

2. stir somebody's emotions: to move somebody emotionally

3. cause somebody to have disease: to infect or harm somebody or something with disease

[14th century. < Latin affect-, past participle of afficere "act on" < facere "do"]

Word Usage


	affect or effect? In general use, affect is only used as a verb, whereas effect is commonly used as a noun and only in formal contexts as a verb. What causes confusion is that they have very similar pronunciations and closely related meanings. If one thing affects [acts upon] another, it has an effect on it [causes it to change]. Notice also that you can affect [cause a change in] people as well as things, but you can only effect [bring about] things such as changes: The election has affected our entire society, for it has effected major changes in the government.The bad weather has a bad effect [not affect] on him.