afaire

Old French

Alternative forms

• afeire, affaire, afere

Etymology

Univerbation of a +‎ faire (“ado”).

Noun

afaire oblique singular, f (oblique plural afaires, nominative singular afaire, nominative plural afaires)

1. character; disposition
2. situation; event
   • 12^th Century, Unknown, Raoul de Cambrai:

     .I. mes en vait au roi de Saint Denis
     Qui tout l'afaire li ot contet et dit[.]

     One month he went to the king of Saint Denis
     And told him all about the situation[.]

3. problem; difficulty

Descendants

• Middle French: affaire
  • French: affaire
  • Norman: affaire
• Picard: afoaire
• → Middle Dutch: affare
  • Dutch: affaire
• → Middle English: afere, affere
  • English: affair