Connecting mentally or making a link between ideas, memories, or people. Spending time with or keeping company with someone.
From Latin 'associatus', past participle of 'associare' meaning 'to join with', from 'ad-' (to) plus 'sociare' (to join, from socius meaning companion). Entered English in 15th century, initially meaning to join as a partner.
Our brains are association machines - we can't help but link new information to old memories, which is why certain smells instantly transport us to childhood. The word captures both conscious connections (associating ideas) and unconscious ones (guilt by association).
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