associate

 

verb

Pronunciation: /əˈsəʊʃɪeɪt, -sɪeɪt/
[with object] (often associate someone/thing with)
  • connect (someone or something) with something else in one’s mind: I associated wealth with freedom
  • connect (something) with something else because they occur together or one produces the other: the environmental problems associated with nuclear waste
  • (be associated with) be involved with: she has been associated with the project from the first
  • (associate oneself with) allow oneself to be connected with or seen to be supportive of: I cannot associate myself with some of the language used
  • [no object] meet or have dealings with someone regarded with disapproval: he began to associate with the Mafia

noun

Pronunciation: /əˈsəʊʃɪət, -sɪət/
  • 1a partner or companion in business or at work: a close associate of the Minister
  • 2a person with limited or subordinate membership of an organization: an Associate of the Linnaean Society
  • 3chiefly Psychology a concept connected with another: the patient was asked to commit to memory a list of five paired associates

adjective

Pronunciation: /əˈsəʊʃɪət, -sɪət/
[attributive]
  • connected with an organization or business: an associate company
  • having shared function or membership but with a lesser status: the associate director of the academy

Derivatives

associability

Pronunciation: /-ˈbɪlɪti/
noun

associable

adjective

associateship

Pronunciation: /əˈsəʊʃɪətʃɪp, əˈsəʊs-/
noun

associator

Pronunciation: /əˈsəʊʃɪeɪtə, əˈsəʊs-/
noun

Origin:

late Middle English (as a verb in the sense 'join with in a common purpose'; as an adjective in the sense 'allied'): from Latin associat- 'joined', from the verb associare, from ad- 'to' + socius 'sharing, allied'