association (n.)

The general senses of this term are often found in linguistic discussion – the non-linguistic feelings which a LEXICAL ITEM gives rise to, or the range of psychologically connected items which come to mind (i.e. the word associations or sense associations). Some LINGUISTS have used the term with a more restricted definition, however. For example, the SAUSSUREAN conception of PARADIGMATIC relationships was referred to as associative relations. Some linguists use the term associative field (or association group) to refer to a set of lexical items which display a specific similarity of FORM or SENSE.