əˌsōsēˈāshən, -ōshē- — -ōsh- is somewhat less freq in this than in the other associ- words, by reason of sh- dissimilation noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French or Medieval Latin; Middle French association, from Medieval Latin association-, associatio, from Latin associatus (past participle of associare to join, unite) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at associate
1.
a. : the act or action of associating
there is no such thing as criminal guilt by association in Anglo-American law — Sidney Hook
the house dog's intimate association with people — J.W.Cross
b. : the quality or state of being associated : companionship , partnership , connection , combination
my four years of close association with Alec — Sidney Lovett
the cerebrospinal fluid, due to its intimate association with the central nervous system — H.G.Armstrong
flint implements in association with the remains of the extinct prehistoric cave bear — R.W.Murray
2. archaic : a written pledge to carry out an undertaking
the six men had forged the association
3. : an organization of persons having a common interest : society , league , union
the Modern Language Association of America
as
a.
(1) : a voluntary union of neighboring self-governing local churches of the same denomination
association of the Baptists
(2) : a stated meeting of the clergymen and other appointed delegates of such churches
b. : a body of persons organized for the prosecution of some purpose, having no charter from the state, but having the general form and mode of procedure of a corporation — distinguished from corporation
4. : a feeling, thought, or recollection linked in the mind or associated in the memory with a thing or person : connotation , overtone
words stir our feelings … through their enveloping atmosphere of associations — J.L.Lowes
each new hearing yields some new richness in tonal association — Richard Eberhart
5.
a. : the mental connection or bond existing between any sensations, perceptions, ideas, or feelings that to a subject or observer have a relational significance with one another
the laws of association
b. : the process of forming mental connections or bonds between sensations, perceptions, ideas, or feelings — compare learning 1a(2)
c. : free association
6.
[short for association football ]
Britain : soccer
7. chemistry aggregation to form (as with hydrogen bonds) loosely bound complexes
8.
a. : a major unit often taken to be the fundamental unit in ecological community organization that is characterized by essential uniformity in physiognomy, composition, and structure and has usually two or more dominant species of a particular life form or habit
b. : such a unit when considered a major subdivision of a formation or biome
c. : a group of organisms usually of similar life form associated in a given environment and distinguishable as a group from neighboring groups of like nature
9. sociology : a formal or secondary social group that has been expressly organized to satisfy the specific intents and purposes of its members
10. : a group of defined and named soils usually having different characteristics and regularly associated in a geographic pattern