Main Entry: as·so·ci·a·tion

Pronunciation: \ə-ˌsō-sē-ˈā-shən, -shē-\

Function: noun

Date: 1535

1 a : the act of associating b : the state of being associated : combination, relationship
2 : an organization of persons having a common interest : society
3 : something linked in memory or imagination with a thing or person
4 : the process of forming mental connections or bonds between sensations, ideas, or memories
5 : the aggregation of chemical species to form (as with hydrogen bonds) loosely bound complexes
6 : a major unit in ecological community organization characterized by essential uniformity and usually by two or more dominant species

— as·so·ci·a·tion·al \-sh(ə-)n^əl\ adjective