affiance

• affiaunce (obsolete)

From Middle French affiance, from affier (from Medieval Latin affīdāre, from *fīdāre, from Latin fīdere) + -ance.

• IPA^(key): /əˈfaɪəns/
• Rhymes: -aɪəns

affiance (third-person singular simple present affiances, present participle affiancing, simple past and past participle affianced)

1. (transitive) To be betrothed to; to promise to marry.
   • 2018 Anne Shirley-Cuthbert, "What We Have Been Makes Us What We Are", Anne with an E, season 2 episode 9, 7 minutes

     She left our former teacher at the altar. Oh well, it's no secret that Prissy was affianced to our former teacher, but justifiably fled the wedding.

• fiance

affiance (plural affiances)

1. Faith, trust.
   • 1603, John Florio, transl.; Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in The Essayes, […], book II, printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821:

     All other outward shewes and exterior apparences are common to all religions: As hope, affiance [transl. confiance], events, ceremonies, penitence and martyrdome.

   • Sir J. Stephen

     Such feelings promptly yielded to his habitual affiance in the divine love.

   • Tennyson

     Lancelot, my Lancelot, thou in whom I have / Most joy and most affiance.

2. (archaic) A solemn engagement, especially a pledge of marriage.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.iv:

     I that Ladie to my spouse had wonne; / Accord of friends, consent of parents sought, / Affiance made, my happinesse begonne […].

Old French afiance, from afier (“to promise”) +‎ -ance.

affiance f (plural affiances)

1. promise (verbal guarantee)

• English: affiance (borrowed)

• affiance on Dictionnaire du Moyen Français (1330-1500) (in French)