afectado

Afectado is a Spanish adjective and noun derived from the verb afectar. Its meaning varies with context and can refer to influence, harm, or condition, among other senses.

As an adjective, afectado commonly describes someone or something influenced or touched by a factor or event. For example, a population affected by a drought or a business affected by an economic downturn. It can also indicate that someone is suffering from a disease or medical condition, as in “afectado por una infección” or “afectado de gripe” (the latter is less formal). A third sense describes manner or style: afectado can denote something artificial or pretentious, as in “un estilo afectado” or “un hombre afectado.”

As a noun, el afectado refers to a person who has been affected by something, especially a victim or stakeholder. In disaster response, journalism, or policy discussions, “los afectados” are those who have suffered damages, losses, or changes as a result of an event or action. The term is frequently used in legal, administrative, and media contexts to identify those impacted by circumstances such as natural disasters, accidents, or regulatory measures.

Etymology traces afectado to the verb afectar, which in turn comes from Latin affectus through affectāre or afficere. The word shares cognates in other Romance languages and relates to ideas of influence, impact, or emotional involvement.

Notes: avoid confusion with afectación (the act or result of affecting) and with senses of afectar meaning to pretend or feign in some contexts. In contemporary usage, affected often emphasizes being impacted, while affectedness as a personality trait describes pretentious manner.