affectation

Definitions

af- (ad-, toward) + fect (the weakened fac, 'do/make') + -ation. affect once meant 'to aim at, strive after'; affectation is striving after a manner you don't really have — a put-on.

Why It Means This

Note the link to the verb affect in its rarer sense 'to pretend' (she affected an English accent). An affectation is the noun for such a pose — a deliberately adopted but unnatural mannerism.

Common Collocations

• 1.mere affectation纯属做作
• 2.without affectation毫不矫饰
• 3.an affectation of故作……之态

Example Sentences

• 1.

  His upper-class accent is pure affectation.

• 2.

  She spoke plainly, without any affectation.