affiliate
Definitions
To officially connect or associate with a larger organization
使隶属；加入；使附属
An organization or person officially attached to a larger one
附属机构；分支；合作方
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedaf- (a form of ad-, 'to') + fil (fīlius, 'son') = literally 'to adopt as a son.' Joining an organization was pictured as being taken into a family. So to affiliate is to attach yourself as a member, and an affiliate is the linked branch or partner.
Root fil still carries 8 more wordsWhy It Means This
The family metaphor is the key. Latin 'to adopt as a son' became 'to take in as a member,' which is why affiliated groups feel like branches of one parent body. The 'affiliate marketing' you see online keeps the same logic: you become a junior partner attached to a bigger brand.
Usage Guide
Noun and verb are spelled the same but pronounced differently: the verb ends in /-eit/ (af-FIL-i-ate, 'to associate'), the noun ends in /-it/ (af-FIL-i-it, 'a branch'). Common pattern: be affiliated WITH an organization.
Example Sentences
- 1.
The clinic is affiliated with a major teaching hospital.
- 2.
Local affiliates broadcast the show across the country.
- 3.
She runs a blog that earns money through affiliate links.