association

noun

• 1 (abbreviation: assn.) (often in names) a group of people organized for a joint purpose:the National Association of Broadcasters
• Ecology a plant community defined by a characteristic group of dominant plant species.

• 2a connection or cooperative link between people or organizations:he developed a close association with the university the program was promoted in association with the Department of Music
• the action or state of becoming a member of an organization with subordinate status: [as modifier]:Slovenia signed association agreements with the European Union
• Chemistry the linking of molecules through hydrogen bonding or other interaction short of full bond formation.

• 3 (usually associations) a mental connection between ideas or things:the word bureaucracy has unpleasant associations
• the action of making a mental connection:the association of alchemy with “hieroglyphics” and “cabala.”
• the fact of occurring with something else; co-occurrence:cases of cancer found in association with colitis