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Associate

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associate¹

  • /əˈsəʊʃi.ət/ UK
  • /əˈsəʊsi.ət/ UK
  • /əˈsoʊʃi.ət/ US
  • /əˈsoʊsi.ət/ US
  • /əˈsoʊʃi.ɪt/ US
  • /əˈsoʊsi.ɪt/ US

Where it comes from

From Middle English associat(e) (used participially as well as adjectively up to Early Modern English), from Latin associātus, the perfect passive participle of associō (“to join, unite”), from ad- + sociō, from socius (“shared, common, kindred”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix).

adjective

  1. not comparable Joined with another or others and having lower status. The associate editor is someone who has some experience in editing but not sufficient experience to qualify for a senior post.
  2. not comparable Having partial status or privileges. He is an associate member of the club.
  3. not comparable Following or accompanying; concomitant.
  4. dated, not comparable Connected by habit or sympathy. associate motions

associate²

  • /əˈsəʊʃi.ət/ UK
  • /əˈsəʊsi.ət/ UK
  • /əˈsoʊʃi.ət/ US
  • /əˈsoʊsi.ət/ US
  • /əˈsoʊʃi.ɪt/ US
  • /əˈsoʊsi.ɪt/ US

Where it comes from

From the substantivization of the above adjective, see -ate (noun-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more.

noun associates

  1. A person united with another or others in an act, enterprise, or business; a partner or employee. Allow me to introduce my business associates, Alice and Bob, who are senior VPs for ops and strategy, respectively.
  2. Somebody with whom one works, coworker, colleague.
  3. A companion; a comrade.
  4. One that habitually accompanies or is associated with another; an attendant circumstance.
  5. A member of an institution or society who is granted only partial status or privileges.
  6. One of a pair of elements of an integral domain (or a ring) such that the two elements are divisible by each other (or, equivalently, such that each one can be expressed as the product of the other with a unit).
  7. A casual friend, acquaintance

Similar: adjunct, associate, business partner, cohort, colaborer /colabourer, collaborator, colleague, compeer, confrere, consociate, coworker /co-worker, fellow

associate³

  • /əˈsəʊʃieɪt/ UK
  • /əˈsəʊsieɪt/ UK
  • /əˈsoʊʃieɪt/ US
  • /əˈsoʊsieɪt/ US

Where it comes from

From Middle English associat(e) (“associated, allied”) (the verb *associaten is not found in Middle English writings and only attested at a later period), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more. Doublet of associe.

verb associates · associating · associated

  1. intransitive To join in or form a league, union, or association.
  2. intransitive To spend time socially; keep company. She associates with her coworkers on weekends.
  3. transitive To join as a partner, ally, or friend. He associated his name with many environmental causes.
  4. transitive To connect or join together; combine. particles of gold associated with other substances
  5. transitive To connect evidentially, or in the mind or imagination. I always somehow associate Chatterton with autumn.
  6. reflexive To endorse. She refused to associate herself with the petition.
  7. To be associative.
  8. obsolete, transitive To accompany; to be in the company of. Friends should associate friends in grief and woe

Associate⁴

noun Associates

  1. slang An associate's degree.

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