Definition of 'associate'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense associates, present participle associating
, past tense, past participle associated
pronunciation note: The verb is pronounced (əsoʊsieɪt
). The noun and adjective are pronounced (əsoʊsiət
).
1. verb
If you associate someone or something with another thing, the two are connected in your mind.
Groups have been barred from events because they are associated with vandalism. [VERB noun with noun]
2. verb
If you are associated with a particular organization, cause, or point of view, or if you associate yourself with it, you support it publicly.
The party feels the need to associate itself with the green movement. [VERB pronoun-reflexive + with]
3. verb
4. countable noun [oft noun NOUN]
Your associates are the people you are closely connected with, especially at work.
5. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
associate in British English
noun (əˈsəʊʃɪɪt
, -ˌeɪt
, -sɪ-
)
7.
10.
a person having a subordinate position in or admitted to only partial membership of an institution, association, etc
adjective (əˈsəʊʃɪɪt
, -ˌeɪt
, -sɪ-
) (prenominal)
11.
an associate director
13.
accompanying; concomitant
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
associable (asˈsociable) adjective
associator (asˈsociˌator)
noun
associatory (asˈsociatory)
adjective
associateship (asˈsociateˌship)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Latin associāre to ally with, from sociāre to join, from socius an ally
Word Frequency
associate in American English
verb transitiveWord forms: asˈsociˌated or asˈsociˌating
2.
to bring (a person) into relationship with oneself or another as companion, partner, friend, etc.
3.
to connect in the mind
to associate rain with grief
verb intransitive
4.
to join (with another or others) as a companion, partner, friend, etc.
5.
to join together; unite
noun
8.
anything joined with another thing or things
adjective
11.
having less than full status
an associate membership
12.
accompanying; connected
SIMILAR WORDS: join
SYNONYMY NOTE: associate refers to a person who is frequently in one's company, usually because of shared
work [business associates]; colleague denotes a co-worker, esp. in one of the professions, and may or may not imply a personal
relationship [her colleagues at the university]; companion1 always refers to a person who actually accompanies one and usually implies a close,
personal relationship [a dinner companion, the companions of one's youth]; comrade refers to a close associate and implies a sharing in activities and fortunes [comrades in arms]; ally now usually refers to a government joined with another or others in a common pursuit,
esp. war; a confederate is one who joins with another or others for some common purpose, esp. in some unlawful
act; an accomplice is one who unites with another or others in an unlawful actWebster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
< L associatus, pp. of associare, join to < ad-, to + sociare, unite with < socius, companion: see socialWord Frequency
associate in American English
(verb əˈsouʃiˌeit, -si-, noun & adjective əˈsouʃiɪt, -ˌeit, -si-) (verb -ated, -ating)
transitive verb
1.
Many people associate dark clouds with depression and gloom
3.
to unite; combine
coal associated with shale
intransitive verb
5.
to keep company, as a friend, companion, or ally
He was accused of associating with known criminals
6.
to join together as partners or colleagues
noun
7.
a person who shares actively in anything as a business, enterprise, or undertaking; partner; colleague; fellow worker
She consulted with her associates before proceeding further
10.
anything usually accompanying or associated with another; an accompaniment or concomitant
11.
a person who is admitted to a subordinate degree of membership in an association or
institution
an associate of the Royal Academy
adjective
SYNONYMS 1. link. 7, 8. See acquaintance.ANTONYMS 1. dissociate. 7–9. adversary.12.
connected, joined, or related, esp. as a companion or colleague; having equal or nearly
equal responsibility
an associate partner
13.
having subordinate status; without full rights and privileges
an associate member
14.
allied; concomitant
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
associateship noun
Word origin
[1400–50; late ME ‹ L associātus joined to, united with (ptp. of associāre), equiv. to as- as- + soci- ( see social) + -ātus -ate1; cf. AF associer (v.), associé (n.)]Examples of 'associate' in a sentence
associate
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In other languages
associate
British English: associate
/əˈsəʊʃɪɪt/ ADJECTIVE
Associate is used before a rank or title to indicate a slightly different or lower rank or title.
He is associate director of the Institute.
- American English: associate /əˈsoʊʃiɪt/
- Arabic: مُساعِد
- Brazilian Portuguese: associado
- Chinese: 副的
- Croatian: pomoćni
- Czech: pomocný
- Danish: vice-
- Dutch: adjunct
- European Spanish: adjunto cargo
- Finnish: apulais-
- French: associé
- German: teilhabend
- Greek: συνεργαζόμενος
- Italian: associato
- Japanese: 準・・・
- Korean: 준...
- Norwegian: tilknyttet
- Polish: stowarzyszony
- European Portuguese: associado
- Romanian: adjunct
- Russian: заместитель
- Latin American Spanish: adjunto
- Swedish: associerad
- Thai: (ตำแหน่ง) รอง
- Turkish: yardımcı dal, meslek vb
- Ukrainian: асоційований
- Vietnamese: phó
British English: associate
/əˈsəʊʃɪɪt/ NOUN
Your associates are your business colleagues.
...business associates.
- American English: associate /əˈsoʊʃiɪt/
- Arabic: شَرِيك
- Brazilian Portuguese: sócio
- Chinese: 合作人
- Croatian: suradnik
- Czech: společník
- Danish: partner
- Dutch: partner
- European Spanish: colega socio
- Finnish: liikekumppani
- French: associé
- German: Teilhaber
- Greek: συνεταίρος
- Italian: socio
- Japanese: 提携者
- Korean: 제휴자
- Norwegian: medarbeider
- Polish: współpracownik
- European Portuguese: colaborador
- Romanian: asociat
- Russian: компаньон
- Latin American Spanish: colega
- Swedish: kompanjon
- Thai: เพื่อนร่วมงาน, ผู้ร่วมงาน
- Turkish: iş arkadaşı
- Ukrainian: партнер
- Vietnamese: cộng sự
British English: associate
VERB /əˈsəʊsɪət/
spend time If you say that someone is associating with another person or group of people, you mean they are spending a lot of time in the company of people you do not approve of.
What would they think if they knew that they were associating with a criminal?
- American English: associate /əˈsoʊʃieɪt/
- Brazilian Portuguese: associar
- Chinese: 与某个或某群人 混在一起
- European Spanish: relacionar con
- French: frayer
- German: verkehren mit
- Italian: frequentare
- Japanese: 交際する
- Korean: 어울려 다니다좋지 않은 사람들과
- European Portuguese: associar
- Latin American Spanish: relacionar con
British English: associate
VERB /əˈsəʊsɪət/
connect If you associate someone or something with another thing, the two are connected in your mind.
Through science we've got the idea of associating progress with the future.
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associate
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Definition of associate from the Collins English Dictionary
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