Definition: Union

Etymology

From Middle English unyoun, from Old French union, from Late Latin ūniō, ūniōnem (oneness, unity), from Latin ūnus (one).

Noun

union (countable and uncountable, plural unions)

1. (countable) The act of uniting or joining two or more things into one.

   Marriage is seen in many religions as a holy union.

2. The state of being united or joined; a state of unity or harmony.
3. That which is united, or made one; something formed by a combination or coalition of parts or members; a confederation; a consolidated body; a league.
4. A trade union; a workers' union.

   The American Federation of Musicians is the largest union for musicians in the United States.

5. An association of students at a university for social and/or political purposes; also in some cases a debating body.
6. A joint or other connection uniting parts of machinery, such as pipes.
7. (set theory) The set containing all of the elements of two or more sets.
8. The act or state of marriage.
9. (programming) A data structure that can store any of various types of item, but only one at a time.

Derived terms

• anti-union
• art union
• axiom of union
• civil union
• credit union
• enterprise union
• European Union
• labor union
• Soviet Union
• State of the Union
• student union
• trade union
• Union Day
• unionize

Related terms

• reunification
• reunion
• unification
• unify
• unity

Verb

union (third-person singular simple present unions, present participle unioning, simple past and past participle unioned)

1. (set theory) To combine sets using the union operation.

Adjective

union (comparative more union, superlative most union)

1. Belonging to, represented by, or otherwise pertaining to a labour union.

   Actors have to be union to get work here.

Credits

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