A romantic or amorous liaison, often secret or scandalous; an affair of the heart.
From French 'affaire' meaning 'matter' or 'business,' derived from Latin 'ad-' (to) and 'facere' (to do). In French, it means 'affair' generally, but in English it specifically acquired romantic connotations.
This French word has a whiff of sophistication in English—calling a scandal an 'affaire' makes it sound more Continental and romantic than just saying 'affair,' which is why novelists and gossip columnists loved it!
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