u ‧ nion S1 W1 /ˈjuːnjən/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: Late Latin unio , from Latin unus 'one' ]
1 . [countable] ( also trade union British English , labor union American English ) an organization formed by workers to protect their rights
union of
the National Union of Teachers
Are you planning to join the union?
union members
2 . used in the names of some clubs or organizations:
the British Golf Union
3 . [singular] formal the act of joining two or more things together, or the state of being joined together
union of
The artist’s work shows the perfect union of craftsmanship and imagination.
union with
Some militants favour independence for Kashmir or union with Pakistan.
4 . [singular] a group of countries or states with the same central government:
the former Soviet Union
5 . the Union used in the past to talk about the United States, especially the northern states during the Civil War
6 . [uncountable and countable] formal marriage
7 . [uncountable and countable] formal the activity of having sex, or an occasion when this happens
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ organization a group of people, companies, or countries, which is set up for a particular purpose:
Greenpeace is an international organization that protects the environment.
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the World Health Organization
▪ institution a large important organization such as a bank, church, or university:
The University is an important academic institution.
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financial institutions such as banks
▪ association an organization for people in a particular profession, sport, or activity, which officially represents its members – often used in names:
I met a representative of the National Association of Teachers.
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the Football Association
▪ party an organization of people with the same political aims which you can vote for in elections:
Which political party do you support?
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He voted for the Republican Party’s candidate.
▪ body an important group of people who make the rules and advise people about what should be allowed:
the sport’s governing body
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The government has set up an advisory body.
▪ club/society an organization for people who share an interest, for example a sport:
We belong to a tennis club.
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I joined the university film society.
▪ union an organization formed by workers in order to protect their rights:
The union ordered its members out on strike.
▪ charity an organization which collects money to help people who are poor, sick etc and does not make any profit for itself:
She has raised a lot of money for local charities.
▪ quango British English disapproving an organization set up by the government, which has official power but whose members have not been elected:
the amount of money that is wasted on government quangos