From Middle English unyoun, from Old French union, from Late Latin ūniō, ūniōnem (“oneness, unity”), from Latin ūnus (“one”). Doublet of unio.
Meanings
(countable) The act of uniting or joining two or more things into one.
(uncountable) The state of being united or joined; a state of unity or harmony.
(countable) Something united, or made one; something formed by a combination or coalition of parts or members; a confederation; a consolidated body; a league.
(countable) A trade union; a workers' union.
In the autumn there was a row at some cement works about the unskilled labour men. A union had just been started for them and all but a few joined. One of these blacklegs was laid for by a picket and knocked out of time. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
(countable) An association of students at a university for social and/or political purposes; also in some cases a debating body.
(countable) A joint or other connection uniting parts of machinery, such as pipes.
(countable) The set containing all of the elements of two or more sets.
(countable) The act or state of marriage.
(archaic, euphemistic, uncountable) Sexual intercourse.
(countable) A data structure that can store any of various types of item, but only one at a time.
Unions are useful in those cases where you need to keep track of a value that can be represented as different data types during the lifetime of the program. 2008, Kris Bell, Lars Ivar Igesund, Sean Kelly, Learn to Tango with D, page 58:
(archaic, countable) A large, high-quality pearl.
Nonius the senator hath a purple coat as stiff with jewels as his mind is full of vices; rings on his fingers worth 20,000 sesterces, and[…]an union in his ear worth an hundred pounds' weight of gold […] 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 3, member 3:
And in the cup an union shall he throw, Richer than that which four successive kings In Denmark's crown have worn. c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
(countable, historical, uncountable) An affiliation of several parishes for joint support and management of their poor; also the jointly-owned workhouse.
el σύζευξη (marriage) · id persatuan (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · haw uniona (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ml ബന്ധപ്പെടൽ (sexual intercourse) · cs unie (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · de Vereinigung (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ro uniune (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ru объедине́ние (computing: certain data structure) · gd aonadh (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · pl unia (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ba берлек (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · id kesatuan (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ms kesatuan (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ug ئىتتىپاق (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ca unió (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · uk об'є́днання (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ast xunión (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fy feriening (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ru слия́ние (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ro reuniune (in set theory) · cs svaz (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · kk одақ (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · eo kunaĵo (in set theory) · tr birlik (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ru брак (marriage) · pt união (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · hy միավորում (in set theory) · ml ലൈംഗിക ബന്ധം (sexual intercourse) · de Vereinigungsmenge (in set theory) · vi hôn nhân (marriage) · fr connexion (joint) · pt sexo (sexual intercourse) · sh ȗnija (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · sw umoja (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fi yhdistelmä (computing: certain data structure) · af unie (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · bg съю́з (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · tk birlik (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sk únia (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sh са́вез (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · tr birlik (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ko 결혼 (marriage) · nl vakbond (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sl zveza (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · yi פֿאַרבאַנד (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · la societās (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · he איחוד (in set theory) · gl unión (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · de Verein (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · de Union (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · tl kaisahan (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ml യൂണിയൻ (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · hi जोड़ी (marriage) · rsk уния (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · is samtök (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · sk únia (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · sh у̑нија (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · jv sarékat (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ur یُونِیَن (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sv förening (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · cmn 同盟 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · is sammengi (in set theory) · sk zväz (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · be звяз (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · id uni (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ru сою́з (marriage) · nb forbund (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ba союз (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · hu egyesülés (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · hi संयुक्त (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ur اِتِّفاق (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ja 聯盟 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fi unioni (in set theory) · et liit (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · mn холбоо (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ota برلك (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · be у́нія (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sh ȗnija (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · yi פֿאַראיין (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sh sávez (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · pl unia (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · fi liittäminen (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sh sávez (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · tl unyon (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ps اتحاد (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fi liitto (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · bg у́ния (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · hy միավորում (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ckb یەکگِرتوویی (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ota اتحاد (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · is gifting (marriage) · ko 동맹 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · pl małżeństwo (marriage) · ko 화집합 (in set theory) · ko 혼인 (marriage) · sl unija (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · be саю́з (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · el άρθρωση (joint) · nan-hbl 聯合 /联合 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fi yhdiste (in set theory) · pt união (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · bn ইত্তেফাক (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ml വിവാഹം (marriage) · fa-ira اِتِّحاد (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · de Vereinigung (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · vi hợp (in set theory) · bg съю́з (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · lt sąjunga (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · prs اِتِّفَاق (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · cu съвѫзъ (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · km សហពលកម្ម (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ky бирлик (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · he אִחוּד (in set theory) · vi tính giao (sexual intercourse) · sah холбоһук (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · el ένωση (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · it unione (in set theory) · ja 合併集合 (in set theory) · nl unie (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · tg иттифоқ (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ar اِتِّحَاد (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · id kesatuan (joint) · id penyatuan (sexual intercourse) · pap union (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · es unión (in set theory) · pt matrimónio (marriage) · es unión (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · el σύνδεσμος (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · sh у̑нија (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ja 連邦 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · da foreningsmængde (in set theory) · sv union (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · cs svaz (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ro unitate (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · cu съѭзъ (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · vi hội (in set theory) · fr mariage (marriage) · ru сою́з (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · vi liên bang (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ru бра́чный сою́з (marriage) · fr union (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ru объедине́ние (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · fi unioni (computing: certain data structure) · ja 同盟 (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · el ένωση (joint) · tt берлек (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · prs اِتِّحَاد (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ro unire (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fa-ira اِتِّحادِیِه (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ko 성교 (sexual intercourse) · nl verbond (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · pl związek (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ru объедине́ние (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · is samband (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · sh са́вез (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · la adūnātiō (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · hi सम्मिलन (in set theory) · pl suma (zbiorów) (in set theory) · el συνουσία (sexual intercourse) · hi संघ (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ru соедине́ние (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · sw shirikisho (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · cmn 結婚 /结婚 (marriage) · hi संभोग (sexual intercourse) · my ယူနီယန် (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · he אִגוּד (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · pt matrimônio (marriage) · ko 련맹 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · cmn 併集 /并集 (in set theory) · mk сојуз (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · hy միավորում (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ko 합집합 (in set theory) · sv förening (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sv union (in set theory) · uk шлюб (marriage) · ja 同盟 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · pt união (in set theory) · ru сою́з (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fi liitto (marriage) · izh naimiskauppa (marriage) · fi liitos (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · be саю́з (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ga aontas (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · el ένωση (in set theory) · mr संघ (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · is vígsla (marriage) · ja 性交 (sexual intercourse) · uz ittifoq (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ar زَوَاج (marriage) · tk bileleşik (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · lo ສະຫະພາບ (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · uz birlashma (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · nb union (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ba берлек (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · stq Ferenigenge (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ru соедине́ние (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · cmn 聯盟 /联盟 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · bn ইত্তিহাদ (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · el γάμος (marriage) · fi liitos (joint) · pt junção (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sl unija (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · nl gemeenschap (sexual intercourse) · fr fornication (sexual intercourse) · cs sjednocení (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · be звяз (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · frs feräinigen (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · am ሕብረት (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · cmn 婚姻 (marriage) · nl bond (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · sv förening (marriage) · ka კავშირი (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · kn ಒಕ್ಕೂಟ (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · mk унија (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · et liit (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ba берләшмә (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · mn холбоо (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · mt unjoni (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · cmn 聯盟 /联盟 (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · kk одақ (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · mn ᠬᠣᠯᠪᠤᠭ᠌ᠠ᠋ (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sv äktenskap (marriage) · nl vereniging (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sv union (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · hy միություն (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ug ئىتتىپاق (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · id gabungan (in set theory) · rap hakapirina (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · uz birlik (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fr réunion (in set theory) · is sameining (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · uz ittihod (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · is bandalag (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · grc ἕνωσις (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · de Vereinigung (in set theory) · ja 共用体 (computing: certain data structure) · hu egyesület (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ca unió (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ar اِتِّفَاق (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ru сноше́ние (sexual intercourse) · cs unie (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · nb union (in set theory) · cs sjednocení (in set theory) · kmr yekîtî (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fi yhdiste (computing: certain data structure) · hu szövetség (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · oc union (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · hu egybekelés (marriage) · ja 婚姻 (marriage) · yue 聯合 /联合 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · id serikat (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · km សង្គតិ (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · de Union (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · hi समागम (sexual intercourse) · el ένωση (sexual intercourse) · he איגוד (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ja 結合 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · el αρμός (joint) · pl związek (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · is tengi (joint) · uk сою́з (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · cmn 交合 (sexual intercourse) · fi avioliitto (marriage) · lv savienība (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · hy միություն (marriage) · vi liên minh (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · tg иттиҳод (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · uz uyushma (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · cs svazek (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ml ഏകീകരണം (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fa-ira اِزْدِواج (marriage) · fi liitto (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ba берекмә (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · uz soyuz (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ckb یەکیەتی (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · cmn 聯合 /联合 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · la ūniō (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · fr accouplement (sexual intercourse) · my သမဂ္ဂ (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · az ittifaq (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ja 結婚 (marriage) · nl verbond (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · eo unio (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · nl unie (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ru у́ния (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ga aontas (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · it unione (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · el σύνδεσμος (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · bn সঙ্ঘ (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · hu unió (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · hy միություն (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sl zveza (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ro uniune (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · hu unió (in set theory) · ps اتفاق (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · he אִחוּד (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · frr Foriining (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · vi liên bang (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · nn union (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · cmn 性交 (sexual intercourse) · fi yhdyntä (sexual intercourse) · hu házasság (marriage) · uk сою́з (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · he בְּרִית (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ba берләшеү (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · kk бірлік (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · is hjónaband (marriage) · sq bashkim (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ru совокупле́ние (sexual intercourse) · as ইউনিয়ন (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fr groupement (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · de Ehe (marriage) · ja ユニオン継ぎ手 (joint) · km សហភាព (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · bg съвокупле́ние (sexual intercourse) · bg брак (marriage) · sk sväz (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · hu unió (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ru му́фта (joint) · uk об'єдна́ння (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sv förbund (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · rsk союз (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · bg ни́пел (joint) · ja 和集合 (in set theory) · nb union (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · uk у́нія (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ja 結び (in set theory) · is hjónavígsla (marriage) · nl vereniging (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · da union (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ru объедине́ние мно́жеств (in set theory) · az birlik (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ka კავშირი (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ug بىرلەشمە (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · nan-hbl 聯盟 /联盟 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fr union (computing: certain data structure) · pl unia (computing: certain data structure) · nb forening (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · pl sojusz (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · bn ইউনিয়ন (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · is eining (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · tr ittifak (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ky союз (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · yi פֿאַראיין (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · be шлюб (marriage) · sk zväz (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · de Vereinigung (sexual intercourse) · ga aontas (in set theory) · ti ሓድነት (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · la uniō (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · hu egyesítés (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · he איחוד (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fr copulation (sexual intercourse) · vi liên minh (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · da forening (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · mt għaqda (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · sk sväz (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · yue 同盟 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · el ένωση (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ja 連邦 (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ka გაერთიანება (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · my ပြည်ထောင်စု (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · la coniugium (marriage) · nb forening (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · hi संयुक्त (joint) · da union (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ru бракосочета́ние (marriage) · dng лянбон (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · ko 연맹 (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · be зьвяз (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · pl suma mnogościowa (in set theory) · tt бердәмлек (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · ota ربط (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · da forening (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · bg му́фа (joint) · nl vereniging (in set theory) · bn মিলন (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · yi פֿאַרבאַנד (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · tl kaisahan (in set theory) · ur اِتِّحاد (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · be зьвяз (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · de Verband (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · gl unión (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · egy d:dmD-m-D:Y1 (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · es unión (that which is united; something formed by a combination of parts or members) · th สหภาพ (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · el σύνδεσμος (joint) · rue сою́з (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · fa-ira اِتِّفاق (the act of uniting or the state of being united) · yue 聯盟 /联盟 (the act of uniting or the state of being united)