¹union

noun \ˈyün-yən\

: an organization of workers formed to protect the rights and interests of its members

: an act of joining two or more things together

: a group of states or nations that are ruled by one government or that agree to work together

Full Definition of UNION

a : an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one: as (1) : the formation of a single political unit from two or more separate and independent units (2) : a uniting in marriage; also : sexual intercourse (3) : the growing together of severed parts

b : a unified condition : combination, junction <a gracious union of excellence and strength>

: something that is made one : something formed by a combining or coalition of parts or members: as

a : a confederation of independent individuals (as nations or persons) for some common purpose

b (1) : a political unit constituting an organic whole formed usually from units which were previously governed separately (as England and Scotland in 1707) and which have surrendered or delegated their principal powers to the government of the whole or to a newly created government (as the United States in 1789) (2) capitalized : the federal union of states during the period of the American Civil War

c capitalized : an organization on a college or university campus providing recreational, social, cultural, and sometimes dining facilities; also : the building housing such an organization

d : the set of all elements belonging to one or more of a given collection of two or more sets —called also join, sum

e : labor union

a : a device emblematic of the union of two or more sovereignties borne on a national flag typically in the upper inner corner or constituting the whole design of the flag

b : the upper inner corner of a flag

: any of various devices for connecting parts (as of a machine); especially : a coupling for pipes or pipes and fittings

See union defined for English-language learners

See union defined for kids

Origin of UNION

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin union-, unio oneness, union, from Latin unus one — more at one

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to UNION

Synonyms: combination, combining, connecting, connection, consolidation, coupling, junction, linking, merger, merging, unification

Antonyms: breakup, disconnection, dissolution, disunion, division, parting, partition, schism, scission, split

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

²union

adjective

Definition of UNION

: of, relating to, dealing with, or constituting a union; especially capitalized : of, relating to, or being the side favoring the Union in the American Civil War <Union troops>

First Known Use of UNION

1707

UNION Defined for Kids

union

noun \ˈyün-yən\

Definition of UNION for Kids

: an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one <The river is formed by the union of two tributaries.>

: something (as a nation) formed by a combining of parts or members

cap : the United States

cap : the group of states that supported the United States government in the American Civil War

: a device for connecting parts (as pipes)

: labor union

Union

adjective

Definition of UNION for Kids

: relating to the group of states that supported the United States government in the American Civil War <Union soldiers>

Medical Dictionary

union

noun \ˈyü-nyən\

Medical Definition of UNION

: an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one: as a : the growing together of severed parts <union of a fractured bone> b : a chemical combination : bond c : the joining of two germ cells in the process of fertilization