Associativity

pertaining to or resulting from -ssociation.
tending to -ssociate or unite.
mathematics, logic.

(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).
having reference to this property:
-ssociative law of multiplication.

historical examples

it is subjected to certain conditions and, for example, to the rules of commutativity and -ssociativity of addition.
the foundations of science: science and hypothesis, the value of science, science and method henri poincar

adjective
of, relating to, or causing -ssociation or union
(maths, logic)

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)
referring to this property: the -ssociative laws of arithmetic

adj.

1812, from -ssociate (v.) + -ive.
-ssociative
(ə-sō’shə-tĭv)
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. see also commutative, distributive.

programming
the property of an operator that says whether a sequence of three or more expressions combined by the operator will be evaluated from left to right (left -ssociative) or right to left (right -ssociative). for example, in perl, the lazy and operator && is left -ssociative so in the expression:
$i >= 0 && $x[$i] >= 0 && $y[$x[$i]] == 0
the left-most && is evaluated first, whereas = is right -ssociative, so in
$a = $b = 42
the right-most -ssignment is performed first.
(2007-06-16)