as·so·ci·ate • v. / əˈsōsēˌāt; -shē-/ [tr.] connect (someone or something) with something else in one's mind: I associated wealth with freedom. ∎  (usu. be associated) connect (something) with something else because they occur together or one produces another: the environmental problems associated with nuclear waste. ∎  (associate oneself with) allow oneself to be connected with or seen to be supportive of: I cannot associate myself with some of the language used. ∎  (be associated with) be involved with: she has been associated with the project from the first. ∎  [intr.] meet or have dealings with someone commonly regarded with disapproval: she began associating with socialists.• n. / -it/ 1. a partner or colleague in business or at work. ∎  a companion or friend.2. a person with limited or subordinate membership in an organization. ∎  a person who holds an academic degree conferred by a junior college (only in titles or set expressions): an associate's degree in science | an Associate of Arts.3. chiefly Psychol. a concept connected with another.• adj. / -it/ joined or connected with an organization or business: an associate company. ∎  denoting shared function or membership but with a lesser status: associate director.DERIVATIVES: as·so·ci·a·bil·i·ty / əˌsōsh(ē)əˈbilitē; -shē-/ n.as·so·ci·a·ble / əˈsōsh(ē)əbəl; -shē-/ adj.as·so·ci·ate·ship / -ˌship/ n.

associate pp. joined in function or status XIV; sb. companion, colleague XVI. — L. associātus, pp. of associāre, f. AS- + socius sharing, allied (cf. SOCIAL); see -ATE2.
So associate vb. XV (see -ATE3). association XVI. — F. or medL.