Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
associative [uh-soh-shee-ey-tiv, -see-, -shuh-tiv] ExamplesWord Origin See more synonyms for associative on Thesaurus.com adjective
- pertaining to or resulting from association.
- tending to associate or unite.
- Mathematics, Logic.
- (of an operation on a set of elements) giving an equivalent expression when elements are grouped without change of order, as (a + b) + c = a + (b + c).
- having reference to this property: associative law of multiplication.
Origin of associative First recorded in 1805–15; associate + -ive Related formsas·so·ci·a·tive·ly [uh-soh-shee-ey-tiv-lee, -uh-tiv-, -see-] /əˈsoʊ ʃiˌeɪ tɪv li, -ə tɪv-, -si-/, adverbas·so·ci·a·tiv·i·ty [uh-soh-shee-uh-tiv-i-tee, -see-, -shuh-tiv-] /əˌsoʊ ʃi əˈtɪv ɪ ti, -si-, -ʃəˈtɪv-/, as·so·ci·a·tive·ness, nounnon·as·so·ci·a·tive, adjectivenon·as·so·ci·a·tive·ly, adverbsub·as·so·ci·a·tive, adjectivesub·as·so·ci·a·tive·ly, adverbun·as·so·ci·a·tive, adjectiveun·as·so·ci·a·tive·ly, adverb Related Words for associative collateral, coeval, belonging, joint, fellow, complementary, incident, contemporary, satellite, attending, corollary, coordinate, attendant, accessory, coefficient, adjuvant, akin, alike, close, insular Examples from the Web for associative Contemporary Examples of associative
Who is Friedman’s source (and, by the associative property, Shapiro’s)?
Hagel Tied To Junior League of Hezbollah
Ali Gharib
February 20, 2013
Certain professors see a chance to benefit from this associative taint.
The Professor of Hip-Hop: Adam Bradley’s Poetic Mission
Nick Romeo
September 17, 2012
I mean, instead, a mind that is thoughtful, curious, with a discernable pattern of associative thinking and insight.
Elaine Lafferty
October 27, 2008
Historical Examples of associative
The matter, therefore, in which associative imagination can be shown is 11.
Modern Painters Volume II (of V)
John Ruskin
The aim of society should be the exploitation of the globe by associative effort.
A History of French Literature
Edward Dowden
Without this power of associative memory we would not be able to reason.
Marian Wharton
The sensory and motor mechanism has ripened, but not the associative.
Appletons’ Popular Science Monthly, January 1899
Various
As yet they have not become accustomed to associative action.
Appletons’ Popular Science Monthly, May, 1900
Various
British Dictionary definitions for associative associative adjective
- of, relating to, or causing association or union
- maths logic
- being independent of the grouping of numbers, symbols, or terms within a given set, as in conjunction or in an expression such as (2 × 3) × 4 = 2 × (3 × 4)
- referring to this propertythe associative laws of arithmetic
Word Origin and History for associative adj.
1812, from associate (v.) + -ive.
associative in Science associative [ə-sō′shə-tĭv]
- Of or relating to the property of an operation, such as addition or multiplication, which states that the grouping of numbers undergoing the operation does not change the result. For example, 3 + (4 + 5) is equal to (3 + 4) + 5. See also commutative distributive.