Origin: Latin suffix -ate
Affiliate has 6 different meanings across 2 categories:
a subordinate or subsidiary associate; a person who is affiliated with another or with an organization
"The local bookstore joined the national chain as an affiliate to share its inventory and marketing resources."
a subsidiary or subordinate organization that is affiliated with another organization
"network affiliates"
Someone or something, especially, a television station, that is associated with a larger, related organization, such as a television network; a member of a group of associated things.
"Our local radio affiliate broadcasts the morning news for our entire region every day at eight o'clock."
In plain English: An affiliate is someone who works with another company to sell their products and gets paid a commission for every sale they make.
"The hotel affiliate offered a special discount to its members."
Usage: As a noun, an affiliate refers to an independent entity, such as a local TV station, that operates under the umbrella of a larger organization like a national network. It is distinct from the verb form because it describes the specific member rather than the action of joining or associating with the group.
join in an affiliation
"The two colleges affiliated"
"They affiliated with a national group"
To adopt; to receive into a family as one's offspring
"After his wife passed away, he decided to affiliate the orphaned girl into their household and raise her as his own daughter."
In plain English: To affiliate means to officially join or connect with a group or organization.
"Many local businesses affiliate with the national chain to share advertising costs."
Usage: Do not use "affiliate" to mean adopting a child; that specific legal and familial act should be expressed with the word "adopt." Instead, reserve "affiliate" strictly for describing how an organization joins a larger group or network.
The word affiliate comes from Medieval Latin affiliatus, originally meaning "adopted as a son." It traveled into English through the sense of being formally connected or associated with an organization, rather than referring to biological adoption.