Main Entry: as·so·ci·a·tion

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

Function: noun

1 : the act of associating
2 : something linked in memory or imagination with a thing or person
3 : the process of forming mental connections or bonds between sensations, ideas, or memories
4 : the aggregation of chemical species to form (as with hydrogen bonds) loosely bound chemical complexes—compare polymerization 1

—as·so·ci·a·tion·al \-shnəl, -shən-^əl\ adjective