ASSOCIATE

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does associate mean? 

• ASSOCIATE (noun)
  The noun ASSOCIATE has 5 senses:

1. a person who joins with others in some activity or endeavor

2. a friend who is frequently in the company of another

3. a person with subordinate membership in a society, institution, or commercial enterprise

4. any event that usually accompanies or is closely connected with another

5. a degree granted by a two-year college on successful completion of the undergraduates course of studies

  Familiarity information: ASSOCIATE used as a noun is common.

• ASSOCIATE (adjective)
  The adjective ASSOCIATE has 1 sense:

1. having partial rights and privileges or subordinate status

  Familiarity information: ASSOCIATE used as an adjective is very rare.

• ASSOCIATE (verb)
  The verb ASSOCIATE has 3 senses:

1. make a logical or causal connection

2. keep company with; hang out with

3. bring or come into association or action

  Familiarity information: ASSOCIATE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ASSOCIATE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person who joins with others in some activity or endeavor

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Context example:

he had to consult his associate before continuing

Hypernyms ("associate" is a kind of...):

compeer; equal; match; peer (a person who is of equal standing with another in a group)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "associate"):

mate; teammate (a fellow member of a team)

shipmate (an associate on the same ship with you)

participant; player (someone who takes part in an activity)

fellow member; member (one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization))

co-worker; colleague; fellow worker; workfellow (an associate that one works with)

colleague; confrere; fellow (a person who is member of one's class or profession)

bedfellow (a temporary associate)

ally; friend (an associate who provides cooperation or assistance)

affiliate (a subordinate or subsidiary associate; a person who is affiliated with another or with an organization)

adjunct (a person who is an assistant or subordinate to another)

collaborator; cooperator; pardner; partner (an associate in an activity or endeavor or sphere of common interest)

Holonyms ("associate" is a member of...):

association (a formal organization of people or groups of people)

Derivation:

associate (bring or come into association or action)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A friend who is frequently in the company of another

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

associate; companion; comrade; familiar; fellow

Context example:

comrades in arms

Hypernyms ("associate" is a kind of...):

friend (a person you know well and regard with affection and trust)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "associate"):

date; escort (a participant in a date)

playfellow; playmate (a companion at play)

tovarich; tovarisch (a comrade (especially in Russian communism))

Derivation:

associate (keep company with; hang out with)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A person with subordinate membership in a society, institution, or commercial enterprise

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Context example:

associates in the law firm bill at a lower rate than do partners

Hypernyms ("associate" is a kind of...):

foot soldier; subordinate; subsidiary; underling (an assistant subject to the authority or control of another)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Any event that usually accompanies or is closely connected with another

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Context example:

first was the lightning and then its thunderous associate

Hypernyms ("associate" is a kind of...):

accompaniment; attendant; co-occurrence; concomitant (an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A degree granted by a two-year college on successful completion of the undergraduates course of studies

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

associate; associate degree

Hypernyms ("associate" is a kind of...):

academic degree; degree (an award conferred by a college or university signifying that the recipient has satisfactorily completed a course of study)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "associate"):

AAS; Associate in Applied Science (an associate degree in applied science)

AN; Associate in Nursing (an associate degree in nursing)

AA; Associate in Arts (an associate degree in arts)

• ASSOCIATE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having partial rights and privileges or subordinate status

Context example:

an associate professor

Similar:

low-level; subordinate (lower in rank or importance)

• ASSOCIATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they associate ... he / she / it associates
Past simple: associated   
Past participle: associated   
-ing form: associating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make a logical or causal connection

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

associate; colligate; connect; link; link up; relate; tie in

Context example:

I cannot relate these events at all

Hypernyms (to "associate" is one way to...):

cerebrate; cogitate; think (use or exercise the mind or one's power of reason in order to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgments)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "associate"):

remember (exercise, or have the power of, memory)

have in mind; mean; think of (intend to refer to)

free-associate (associate freely)

identify (conceive of as united or associated)

correlate (bring into a mutual, complementary, or reciprocal relation)

interrelate (place into a mutual relationship)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody with something
Somebody ----s something with something

Antonym:

dissociate (regard as unconnected)

Derivation:

associable (capable of being associated)

association (the process of bringing ideas or events together in memory or imagination)

association (the state of being connected together as in memory or imagination)

associative; associatory (characterized by or causing or resulting from the process of bringing ideas or events together in memory or imagination)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Keep company with; hang out with

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

affiliate; associate; assort; consort

Context example:

She affiliates with her colleagues

Hypernyms (to "associate" is one way to...):

interact (act together or towards others or with others)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "associate"):

ally (become an ally or associate, as by a treaty or marriage)

date; go out; go steady; see (date regularly; have a steady relationship with)

accompany; companion; company; keep company (be a companion to somebody)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

associate (a friend who is frequently in the company of another)

association (the act of consorting with or joining with others)

association (a formal organization of people or groups of people)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Bring or come into association or action

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

associate; consociate

Context example:

The churches consociated to fight their dissolution

Hypernyms (to "associate" is one way to...):

unify; unite (act in concert or unite in a common purpose or belief)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "associate"):

walk (be or act in association with)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

associate (a person who joins with others in some activity or endeavor)

association (a social or business relationship)

association (a relation resulting from interaction or dependence)

association (a formal organization of people or groups of people)

association ((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)

association (the act of consorting with or joining with others)

associable (capable of being associated)

 Context examples 

This study of ethnically diverse populations in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Botswana has shed light on regions of the genome not previously associated with skin color.

(New regions of the human genome linked to skin color variation in some African populations, National Institutes of Health)

The researchers looked at brains of deceased people with Alzheimer's disease and found evidence of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), a type of bacteria that's associated with gum disease.

(New Link Found between Alzheimer's & Gum Disease Bacteria, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

In modern times, disturbances associated with land use are believed to be a dominant factor contributing to the activation of stabilized vegetated dunes in drylands.

(Sleeping sands of the Kalahari awaken after more than 10,000 years, NSF)

They then analysed the DNA of these individuals to see which regions of their genomes were associated with protein levels, yielding a four-fold increase on previous knowledge.

(Scientists create ‘genetic atlas’ of proteins in human blood, University of Cambridge)

Whether dietary cholesterol is associated with cardiovascular disease or death has been debated for decades.

(Eggs No Longer Part of a Healthy Diet?, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Higher intake of red meat and poultry is associated with significantly increased risk of developing diabetes, which is partially attributed to higher content of heme-iron in these meats.

(Eating Meat Linked to Higher Risk of Diabetes, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The group’s analyses identified an epigenetic mark—a genetic feature not directly governed by the genetic code—that is associated with saturated fat intake exclusively in subjects who carry this genetic factor.

(International Research Team Finds Correlation Between Genetics and Obesity Is Modified by Diet, U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Mutation of the gene is associated with Dubin-Johnson syndrome.

(ABCC2 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes multidrug resistance-associated protein 4, is involved in ATP hydrolysis, anion transport and platelet activation.

(ABCC4 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

A retrovirus that is associated with leukemia and induces in vitro transformation of certain mouse cells.

(Abelson Murine Leukemia Virus, NCI Thesaurus)