Dictionary

affliction en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /əˈflɪk.ʃən/

Etymology

From Middle English affliction, affliccioun, from Old French afliction, borrowed from Latin afflīctiōnem (“pain, suffering, torment”), from Latin afflīctō (“to damage, harass, torment”), from ad- + flīctus, past participle of afflīgō (“strike, beat”), from ad- + flīgō (“strike”) (whence af-). By surface analysis, afflict + -ion.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A state of pain, suffering, distress or agony.
   • BEAT on, proud billows; Boreas blow; / Swell, curled waves, high as Jove's roof; / Your incivility doth ſhow, / That innocence is tempeſt proof; / Though ſurly Nereus frown, my thoughts are calm; / Then ſtrike, Affliction, for thy wounds are balm. [Attributed to Roger L'Estrange (1616–1704).] 1781, [Mostyn John Armstrong], History and Antiquities of the County of Norfolk. Volume IX. Containing the Hundreds of Smithdon, Taverham, Tunstead, Walsham, and Wayland, volume IX, Norwich: Printed by J. Crouse, for M. Booth, bookseller, →OCLC, page 51:
2. (countable, uncountable) Something which causes pain, suffering, distress or agony.
   • She wore a man's long ulster (not as if it were an affliction, but as if it were very comfortable and belonged to her; carried it like a young soldier) [...] 1913, Willa Cather, O Pioneers!:

Forms

Deriveds

bread of affliction · afflictionless · self-affliction

Translations (61)

pdt Älent (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · cs trápení (something which causes pain, suffering, distress or agony) · pl cierpienie (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · de Leiden (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · lad afrision (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · es aflicción (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · fi tuska (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · nl pijn (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · nl aandoening (something which causes pain, suffering, distress or agony) · fr affliction (something which causes pain, suffering, distress or agony) · mk болка (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · fr détresse (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · got 𐍃𐌻𐌰𐌷𐍃 (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · ru огорче́ние (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · ru страда́ние (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · cs utrpení (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · tr dert (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · cs soužení (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · ru муче́ние (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · gl anoto (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · ms kepayahan (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · tr ızdırap (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · nl lijden (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · lad afriisyon (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · cs potíž (something which causes pain, suffering, distress or agony) · ru го́ре (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · mk мака (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · sh trpljenje (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · de Behinderung (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · cs neštěstí (something which causes pain, suffering, distress or agony) · tr keder (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · nl kwelling (something which causes pain, suffering, distress or agony) · ota شدت (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · bg огорчение (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · cs trápení (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · bg измъчване (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · yue 痛苦 (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · fi kärsimys (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · ru боль (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · fr affliction (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · it afflizione (something which causes pain, suffering, distress or agony) · sh patnja (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · mk страдање (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · cs neduh (something which causes pain, suffering, distress or agony) · cmn 痛苦 (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · ga angar (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · pl przypadłość (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · es quebranto (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · pl afekcja (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · it afflizione (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · bg болка (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · ga galar (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · mk тешкотија (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · eo aflikto (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · cs strast (something which causes pain, suffering, distress or agony) · hy վիշտ (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · pt aflição (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · grc θλῖψις (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · ru печа́ль (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · got 𐌰𐌲𐌲𐍅𐌹𐌸𐌰 (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony) · ga doilíos (a state of pain, suffering, distress or agony)