adj.
Pronunciation: ə - ' s ō -sh ē - ˌ ā -tiv, -s ē -, -sh ə -tiv
Function: adjective
Date: 1804
1 : of or relating to association especially of ideas or images
2 : dependent on or acquired by association or learning
3 : of, having, or being the property of combining to the same mathematical result regardless of the grouping of an expression's elements given that the order of those elements is preserved <addition is associative since ( a + b ) + c = a + ( b + c )>
– as · so · cia · tive · ly adverb
– as · so · cia · tiv · i · ty \ - ˌ s ō -sh ē - ə - ' ti-v ə -t ē , -s ē -, -sh ə - ' ti- \ noun