affect

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
affect1 /əˈfɛkt/

▶verb have an effect on; make a difference to.

■ touch the feelings of.

– derivatives
affecting adjective,
affectingly adverb.

– origin ME (in the sense ‘attack as a disease’): from Fr. affecter or L. affect-, afficere (see affect2).

usage: Affect and effect are commonly confused. Affect is primarily a verb meaning ‘make a difference to’. Effect is used both as a noun and a verb, meaning ‘a result’ or ‘bring about a result’.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
affect2 /əˈfɛkt/

▶verb pretend to have or feel.

■ use, wear, or assume pretentiously or so as to impress.

– origin ME (in the sense ‘like, love’): from Fr. affecter or L. affectare ‘aim at’, frequentative of afficere ‘affect, influence’.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
affect3 /ˈafɛkt/

▶noun Psychology emotion or desire as influencing behaviour.

– derivatives
affectless adjective,
affectlessness noun.

– origin C19: from Ger. Affekt from L. affectus ‘disposition’, from afficere (see affect2).