Revised 2012 More entries for "afflict"
afflictverb
Factsheet
What does the verb afflict mean?
There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb afflict, two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
afflict has developed meanings and uses in subjects including
How common is the verb afflict?
About 2occurrences per million words in modern written English
| 1750 | 8.4 |
| 1760 | 8.6 |
| 1770 | 8.6 |
| 1780 | 9.4 |
| 1790 | 9.8 |
| 1800 | 10 |
| 1810 | 10 |
| 1820 | 9.8 |
| 1830 | 9.2 |
| 1840 | 8.2 |
| 1850 | 7.1 |
| 1860 | 6.0 |
| 1870 | 5.1 |
| 1880 | 4.3 |
| 1890 | 3.8 |
| 1900 | 3.3 |
| 1910 | 2.9 |
| 1920 | 2.6 |
| 1930 | 2.4 |
| 1940 | 2.3 |
| 1950 | 2.2 |
| 1960 | 2.2 |
| 1970 | 2.2 |
| 1980 | 2.2 |
| 1990 | 2.1 |
| 2000 | 2.1 |
| 2010 | 2.1 |
How is the verb afflict pronounced?
British English
/əˈflɪkt/
uh-FLICKT
U.S. English
/əˈflɪk(t)/
uh-FLICKT
Where does the verb afflict come from?
Earliest known use
Middle English
The earliest known use of the verb afflict is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).
OED's earliest evidence for afflict is from before 1393, in the writing of John Gower, poet.
afflict is a borrowing from Latin.
Etymons: Latin afflīct-, afflīgere.
Nearby entries
- affixment, n.1639–
- affixture, n.1766–
- afflate, n.1677–1863
- afflate, v.?a1475–
- afflated, adj.1835–
- afflation, n.1576–
- afflatitious, adj.1671–1706
- afflatus, n.1649–
- afflict, n.?1529–60
- afflict, adj.a1393–1593
- afflict, v.a1393–
- afflicted, adj. & n.1534–
- afflictedly, adv.1621–
- afflictedness, n.1646–
- afflicter, n.1600–
- afflicting, n.1550–
- afflicting, adj.1573–
- afflictingly, adv.1657–
- affliction, n.c1330–
- afflictionless, adj.1837–
- afflictive, adj.1576–
Etymology
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Meaning & use
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Pronunciation
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Forms
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Frequency
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Compounds & derived words
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Entry history for afflict, v.
afflict, v. was revised in September 2012.
afflict, v. was last modified in July 2023.
oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:
- further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
- new senses, phrases, and quotations.
Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into afflict, v. in July 2023.
Earlier versions of this entry were published in:
OED First Edition (1884)
OED Second Edition (1989)
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Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “,” , .
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Citation details
Factsheet for afflict, v.
Browse entry
Nearby entries
- affixment, n.1639–
- affixture, n.1766–
- afflate, n.1677–1863
- afflate, v.?a1475–
- afflated, adj.1835–
- afflation, n.1576–
- afflatitious, adj.1671–1706
- afflatus, n.1649–
- afflict, n.?1529–60
- afflict, adj.a1393–1593
- afflict, v.a1393–
- afflicted, adj. & n.1534–
- afflictedly, adv.1621–
- afflictedness, n.1646–
- afflicter, n.1600–
- afflicting, n.1550–
- afflicting, adj.1573–
- afflictingly, adv.1657–
- affliction, n.c1330–
- afflictionless, adj.1837–
- afflictive, adj.1576–
