af·fil·i·ate (?-f?l??-?t?)v. af·fil·i·at·ed, af·fil·i·at·ing, af·fil·i·ates v.tr.1. To adopt or accept as a member, subordinate associate, or branch: The HMO affiliated the clinics last year.2. To associate (oneself) as a subordinate, subsidiary, employee, or member: affiliated herself with a new law firm.3. To assign the origin of.v.intr. To become closely connected or associated: The two unions voted to affiliate.n. (-?-?t, -?t?) A person, organization, or establishment associated with another as a subordinate, subsidiary, or member: network affiliates.[Medieval Latin aff?li?re, to adopt : Latin ad-, ad- + Latin f?lius, son; see dh?(i)- in Indo-European roots.]af·fil?i·a?tion n.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.affiliate vb 1. (tr; foll by to or with) to receive into close connection or association (with a larger body, group, organization, etc); adopt as a member, branch, etc 2. (foll by with) to associate (oneself) or be associated, esp as a subordinate or subsidiary; bring or come into close connection: he affiliated himself with the Union. n a. a person or organization that is affiliated with another b. (as modifier): an affiliate member. [C18: from Medieval Latin aff?li?tus adopted as a son, from aff?l?are, from Latin filius son] af?fili?ation nCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014af?fil?i?ate (v. ??f?l i?e?t; n. -?t, -?e?t) v. -at?ed, -at?ing, n. v.t. 1. to bring into close association or connection: The center affiliated with the university. 2. to attach or unite on terms of fellowship; associate (usu. fol. by with). 3. to trace the derivation or origin of. v.i. 4. to associate oneself; be united. n. 5. a branch organization. 6. a business concern owned or controlled in whole or in part by another concern. 7. an affiliated person; associate. [1755?65;