affiliate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a subordinate or subsidiary associate; a person who is affiliated with another or with an organization
  2. noun a subsidiary or subordinate organization that is affiliated with another organization
    • network affiliates
  3. verb keep company with; hang out with
    assort; associate; consort.
    • He associates with strange people
    • She affiliates with her colleagues
  4. verb join in an affiliation
    • The two colleges affiliated
    • They affiliated with a national group

WordNet

Af*fil"i*ate transitive verb
Etymology
LL. adfiliare, affiliare, to adopt as son; ad + filius son: cf. F. affilier.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Affiliated present participle & verbal noun Affiliating
Definitions
  1. To adopt; to receive into a family as a son; hence, to bring or receive into close connection; to ally.
    Is the soul affiliated to God, or is it estranged and in rebellion? I. Taylor.
  2. To fix the paternity of; -- said of an illegitimate child; as, to affiliate the child to (or on or upon) one man rather than another.
  3. To connect in the way of descent; to trace origin to.
    How do these facts tend to affiliate the faculty of hearing upon the aboriginal vegetative processes? H. Spencer.
  4. To attach (to) or unite (with); to receive into a society as a member, and initiate into its mysteries, plans, etc.; -- followed by to or with.
Af*fil"i*ate intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To connect or associate one's self; -- followed by with; as, they affiliate with no party.

Webster 1913