associative

American  

[uh-soh-shee-ey-tiv, -see-, -shuh-tiv] / əˈsoʊ ʃiˌeɪ tɪv, -si-, -ʃə tɪv /

adjective

1. pertaining to or resulting from association.

2. tending to associate or unite.

3. Mathematics, Logic.

   1. (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 ).

   2. having reference to this property.

      associative law of multiplication.

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associative British  

/ əˈsəʊʃɪətɪv /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or causing association or union

2. maths logic

   1. 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)

   2. referring to this property

      the associative laws of arithmetic

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associative Scientific  

/ ə-sō′shə-tĭv /

1. 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.

2. See also commutative distributive

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Other Word Forms

• associatively adverb
• associativeness noun
• associativity noun
• nonassociative adjective
• nonassociatively adverb
• subassociative adjective
• subassociatively adverb
• unassociative adjective
• unassociatively adverb

Etymology

Origin of associative

First recorded in 1805–15; associate + -ive

Example Sentences

The concept of associative play refers to how well a player links up with his team-mates.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

Most of his lyrics read the way poems do, abandoning the typical verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-verse-chorus structure of standard pop songs for the loosely associative through line typical of free-verse poetry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

But the bigger challenge is that Green is enfolding stories within stories that have an associative yet indirect connection.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2025

Inching close to the actor and composer, he played free associative word games with his name and pointed out the absurdity of the situation.

From Salon • Jan. 26, 2025

Seldom is any mention made of an operation which is non- associative, so the definition seems unnecessary at best.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos