Definition, synonyms and related words
plural of associate
"Several business associates from our firm stopped by to discuss the upcoming merger."
In plain English: Associates are people you know and work with, but who are not your closest friends.
"She introduced her new business associates at the meeting."
Usage: Use associates as a noun to refer to people connected with you in business or social activities, such as coworkers or friends. Do not confuse this with the verb form, which means to connect ideas or link things together.
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of associate
"When John arrives at the office, he always greets his associates before starting work on his project."
In plain English: To associate means to connect two things in your mind so that thinking of one brings the other to mind.
"The detective asked his associates to gather more information about the suspect."
Usage: Use associates to describe when someone connects with others in business or social activities, such as a lawyer who associates with prominent clients. Do not use it to mean working together on a task unless that collaboration involves forming a professional partnership.
Derived from the Latin socius meaning "companion" or "ally," this term originally referred to someone who shares in an enterprise or partnership. It entered English through Old French and retains its core sense of joint association with others.