associative

/əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪtɪv/
adjective
  1. Relating to or involving the connection of ideas, memories, or experiences in the mind.
    • She has a highly associative memory, linking names to faces easily.
    • The game uses associative thinking to help players remember vocabulary.
    • Associative learning occurs when you pair a new fact with something familiar.
  2. In mathematics and computing, describing an operation where the grouping of numbers or elements does not affect the result (e.g., (a + b) + c = a + (b + c)).
    • The associative property of multiplication makes calculations easier.
    • In programming, associative arrays store data in key-value pairs.
    • Addition is an associative operation because (2 + 3) + 4 equals 2 + (3 + 4).
  3. Relating to or involving membership in an association or group.
    • They formed an associative network of local businesses.
    • The organization has both full and associative membership categories.
    • Associative rights allow members to vote on important issues.
Synonyms
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