association

[ uh-soh-see-ey-shuhn, -shee- ]

noun

1. an organization of people with a common purpose and having a formal structure.

   Synonyms: band, company, society, union, alliance

2. the act of associating or state of being associated.
3. friendship; companionship:

   Their close association did not last long.

   Synonyms: fellowship

4. connection or combination.
5. the connection or relation of ideas, feelings, sensations, etc.; correlation of elements of perception, reasoning, or the like.
6. an idea, image, feeling, etc., suggested by or connected with something other than itself; an accompanying thought, emotion, or the like; an overtone or connotation:

   My associations with that painting are of springlike days.

7. Ecology. a group of plants of one or more species living together under uniform environmental conditions and having a uniform and distinctive aspect.
8. Chemistry. a weak form of chemical bonding involving aggregation of molecules of the same compound.
9. touch football.
10. Astronomy. stellar association.

association

/ əˌsəʊsɪˈeɪʃən; -ʃɪ- /

noun

1. a group of people having a common purpose or interest; a society or club
2. the act of associating or the state of being associated
3. friendship or companionship

   their association will not last

4. a mental connection of ideas, feelings, or sensations

   association of revolution with bloodshed

5. psychol the mental process of linking ideas so that the recurrence of one idea automatically recalls the other See also free association
6. chem the formation of groups of molecules and ions, esp in liquids, held together by weak chemical bonds
7. ecology a group of similar plants that grow in a uniform environment and contain one or more dominant species

association

/ ə-sō′sē-ā′shən,-shē- /

1. A large number of organisms in a specific geographic area constituting a community with one or two dominant species.

Other Words From

• as·soci·ation·al adjective
• inter·as·soci·ation noun
• nonas·soci·ation noun
• nonas·soci·ation·al adjective
• proas·soci·ation adjective
• pseudo·as·soci·ation·al adjective
• reas·soci·ation noun
• subas·soci·ation noun
• subas·soci·ation·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of association¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French, from Medieval Latin associātiōn-, stem of associātiō “accompaniment, unification”; equivalent to associate + -ion

Example Sentences

“We have been proud of our association with him. He will be missed,” a spokesperson said.

From BBC

On Nov. 5, the building managers provided written responses to each of the association’s demands.

From Los Angeles Times

She said high demand and a very low turnover of housing association stock meant they could not "move people into the homes they need and deserve".

From BBC

Second, involuntary treatment proponents make an association between mental health/addiction and public safety, suggesting that people with mental health problems or drug users are violent.

From Salon

Contacted by The Times, a spokeswoman for Mr. Garcia said the two men met “briefly at a golf tournament” but had no further association.

From New York Times

Related Words

• club
• company
• cooperative
• corporation
• federation
• guild
• league
• organization
• partnership
• society
• tribe
• union