union

1 of 2

noun

plural unions
1
a
: an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one: such as
(1)
: the formation of a single political unit from two or more separate and independent units
(2)
: a uniting in marriage
(3)
: the growing together of severed parts
b
: a unified condition : combination, junction
a gracious union of excellence and strength
2
: something that is made one : something formed by a combining or coalition of parts or members: such as
a
: a confederation of independent individuals (such as nations or persons) for some common purpose
b(1)
: a political unit constituting an organic whole formed usually from units which were previously governed separately (such as England and Scotland in 1707) and which have surrendered or delegated their principal powers to the government of the whole or to a newly created government (such as the U.S. in 1789)
(2)
the Union in U.S. history : the group of states that remained part of the United States after 11 southern states seceded in 1860 and 1861 and formed the Confederacy (see confederacy sense 2b) : the federal union of states during the period of the American Civil War
c
Union : an organization on a college or university campus providing recreational, social, cultural, and sometimes dining facilities
also : the building housing such an organization
d
: the set of all elements belonging to one or more of a given collection of two or more sets

called also join, sum

3
a
: a device emblematic of the union of two or more sovereignties borne on a national flag typically in the upper inner corner or constituting the whole design of the flag
b
: the upper inner corner of a flag
4
: any of various devices for connecting parts (as of a machine)
especially : a coupling for pipes or pipes and fittings

union

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, dealing with, or constituting a union
especially, Union : of, relating to, or being the side favoring the Union in the American Civil War
Union troops

Examples of union in a Sentence

Noun She joined the teachers' union. An embryo is created through the union of sperm and egg. a perfect union of Eastern and Western music
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Condé Nast has for months been engaged in a standoff with its union. Oliver Darcy, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024 Our union and connection is probably stronger than ever. Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024 Also shelved was an HBO show that would have explored a looming third American Civil War, in an alternative reality where the South seceded from the union and slavery still exists (the idea sparked outrage online). Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 In the summer of 2020, teachers’ unions in places like California voted overwhelmingly against returning to the classroom in the fall in direct response to surveys that showed parents favored a return to in-person education. The Editors, National Review, 20 Mar. 2024 Six months later, the couple’s union ended in an annulment. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024 Modern pensions are largely confined to the public sector, where unions have helped keep them alive. Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024 Other employers and unions nationwide are facing similar cost overruns. Kevin Lyons, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2024 But, in contrast to the mid-century, the driving force behind today’s four-day workweek push is not coming from the blue-collar and union workers, but from white-collar and corporate employees, Benanav said. María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The layoff figure includes both union members and non-union managers. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 23 Jan. 2024 However, though billed as a speech to union workers, Trump's remarks took place at a non-union auto parts plant. Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 31 Jan. 2024 The coffee chain's decision to grant raises to both its union and non-union employees is a departure from the company's previous policy. Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2023 Those laws provide union representation to non-union members without requiring the payment of union dues, and some corporations invest money into programs and consultants who introduce union-suppressing tactics to the workplace. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2023 At issue was that while the dance artists worked under a union contract for the VMAs, they were not presented with any kind of contract for the non-union behind-the-scenes footage that surfaced in the documentary. Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2023 The company's leaders blamed the closure, in part, on contentious dealings with its union and the rise of non-union competitors. Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2023 Even longtime union leaders — prone to superlatives about solidarity while straining behind closed doors to quash inter-union beefs — are surprised. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2023 Chicago Democrats touted the state’s pro-union stance and its deep base of political donors. Greg Bluestein The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (tns), al, 12 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'union.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin union-, unio oneness, union, from Latin unus one — more at one

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1634, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of union was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near union

Cite this Entry

“Union.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/union. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

union

1 of 2 noun
ˈyün-yən
1
a
: an act or instance of uniting two or more things into one
the union of Scotland and England
union of a man and woman in marriage
b
: combination sense 1
the union of science and technology to solve modern problems
2
a
: something (as a nation) formed by a combining of parts or members
c
: the mathematical set that contains all of the elements which are included in at least one of two or more sets
the union of the set {1, 2, 3} and the set {3, 4, 5} is the set {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
3
: a device for connecting parts (as pipes)

Union

2 of 2 adjective
: of, relating to, or being the side favoring the federal union in the American Civil War
the Union army

Medical Definition

union

noun
: an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one: as
a
: the growing together of severed parts
union of a fractured bone
b
: a chemical combination : bond
c
: the joining of two germ cells in the process of fertilization

Legal Definition

union

noun
1
: an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one
especially : the formation of a single political unit from two or more separate and individual units
2
: something that is made one : something formed by a combining or coalition of its members: as
a
: a confederation of independent individuals (as nations or persons) for some common purpose
b
: a political unit constituting an organic whole formed usually from previously independent units (as England and Scotland in 1707) which have surrendered their principal powers to the government of the whole or to a newly created government (as the U.S. in 1789)

More from Merriam-Webster on union

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