Definition

1. Noun:
   • A connection or relationship between things or people: "Association" refers to the state of being connected or related, often through shared activities, ideas, or circumstances.
   • An organized group of people with a common purpose: "Association" also means a formal body or society formed by people who share a common interest, profession, or goal.
   • A mental connection between ideas or memories: In psychology, "association" describes the process by which one idea, memory, or sensation triggers another in the mind.
   • A group of organisms living together: In ecology, "association" refers to a community of plants and animals living in a specific area and interacting with each other.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Connection/Relationship):
  • There is a strong association between regular exercise and good health.
  • His name has an unfortunate association with failure in the public's mind.
• Noun (Organized Group):
  • She is a member of the local homeowners' association.
  • The American Medical Association sets standards for the profession.
• Noun (Mental Connection):
  • The smell of cookies created a pleasant association with her grandmother's house.
  • Learning often happens through the association of new information with existing knowledge.
• Noun (Ecological Community):
  • The beech-maple association is common in northeastern forests.

Advanced Usage

• "By association": Being connected to something or someone, often implying guilt or a quality is transferred indirectly.
  • He was criticized by association because his brother was involved in the scandal.
• "In association with": Together with; in cooperation or partnership with.
  • The museum presented the exhibition in association with a major university.

Variants and Related Words

• Associate (verb): To connect someone or something in one's mind; to be involved with.
  • People often associate the color red with danger.
• Associate (noun): A partner or colleague in business or work; a person with limited membership in an organization.
  • He is a senior associate at the law firm.
• Associative (adjective): Relating to the mental process of association or a mathematical operation (like addition) where grouping does not affect the result.
  • Memory is an associative process.

Synonyms

• Connection: A relationship in which a person, thing, or idea is linked or associated with something else.
• Organization: An organized group of people with a particular purpose, such as a business or club.
• Society: An organization or club formed for a particular purpose or activity.
• Alliance: A union or association formed for mutual benefit.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Associate with: To spend time with someone; to be connected with something.
  • He is known to associate with influential artists.

Related Idioms

• Guilt by association: The attribution of guilt to individuals because of the people or groups they associate with, rather than because of their own actions.
  • The politician suffered from guilt by association after his aide was arrested.

Noun

1. (ecology) a group of organisms (plants and animals) that live together in a certain geographical region and constitute a community with a few dominant species
2. (chemistry) any process of combination (especially in solution) that depends on relatively weak chemical bonding
3. a relation resulting from interaction or dependence
   • flints were found in association with the prehistoric remains of the bear
   • the host is not always injured by association with a parasite
4. a social or business relationship
   • a valuable financial affiliation
   • he was sorry he had to sever his ties with other members of the team
   • many close associations with England
5. the process of bringing ideas or events together in memory or imagination
   • conditioning is a form of learning by association
6. the state of being connected together as in memory or imagination
   • his association of his father with being beaten was too strong to break
7. the act of consorting with or joining with others
   • you cannot be convicted of criminal guilt by association
8. a formal organization of people or groups of people
   • he joined the Modern Language Association