Affection is defined by the Random House Dictionary as "disposition or state of mind or body." (External Link) It has given rise to a number of branches of meaning concerning: emotion (popularly: love, devotion etc); disease; influence; state of being (philosophy) (External Link); and state of mind (psychology) Affect (psychology). Usage "Affection" is popularly used to denote a feeling or type of love, amounting to more than goodwill or friendship. Writers on ethics generally use the word to… (More on Affection)