association

 
Pronunciation: /əsəʊsɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n, -ʃɪ-/

noun

  • 1(often in names) a group of people organized for a joint purpose: the National Association of Probation Officers
  • Ecology a stable plant community including a characteristic group of dominant plant species: a bog association containing ericaceous plants
  • 2a connection or cooperative link between people or organizations: he developed a close association with the university [mass noun]: the programme was promoted in association with the Department of Music
  • [mass noun] the process or state of becoming a subordinate member of an organization: [as modifier]: an association agreement between Bulgaria and the EU
  • Chemistry the linking of molecules through hydrogen bonding or other interaction short of full bond formation.
  • 3 (usually associations) a mental connection between things: the word bureaucracy has unpleasant associations
  • [mass noun] the action of making a mental connection: there’s nothing new in the association of fasting with spirituality
  • 4 [mass noun] the state of occurring with something else; co-occurrence: cases of cancer found in association with colitis

Derivatives

associational

adjective

Origin:

mid 16th century (in the sense 'uniting in a common purpose'): from medieval Latin associatio(n-), from Latin associare 'to unite, ally' (see associate)