afiliate

Afiliate is an English term that is generally considered a nonstandard or misspelled variant of affiliate. The standard spelling in English is affiliate, used as both a verb and a noun. The word originates from Latin affiliare and entered English through French, taking on senses related to forming an association, alliance, or formal link.

In corporate usage, an affiliate refers to a company that is connected to a larger parent company through ownership, control, or contractual arrangement. Affiliates can operate as subsidiaries, partners, or independent entities within a broader corporate group. The relationship is typically defined by governance, financial arrangements, and regulatory considerations.

In marketing, affiliate programs recruit individuals or other businesses to promote products or services. Affiliates earn commissions for sales or leads generated through their promotional efforts, usually tracked by unique links or codes. This form of affiliate marketing relies on performance-based compensation and an agreed-upon attribution method.

Usage and spelling notes emphasize that affiliate is the correct standard form in formal English, while afiliate is generally considered a spelling error. In bilingual contexts, such as Spanish or Portuguese, equivalent terms exist (for example, afiliarse means to join), but the English verb remains affiliate.

Related terms include affiliated, affiliation, affiliate network, parent company, subsidiary, and partner. Overall, affiliate denotes a formal or informal connection between entities, whether for governance, business, or promotional purposes.