■ noun
1》 a political system formed by the cooperation of different social groups on the basis of shared power.
↘ dated close association or fellowship.
2》 Ecology a small climax community of plants having a characteristic dominant species.
Derivatives
~al adjective
~alism noun
Origin
C16: from L. consociatio(n-) , from consociare , from con- 'together' + sociare 'to associate' (from socius 'fellow').