union
YOO-nyuhn
Union (noun) means an organized group of workers formed to protect their rights and negotiate with employers. Example: “The union voted to go on strike over pay.”
noun
1
An organized group of workers formed to protect their rights and negotiate with employers.
"The union voted to go on strike over pay."
"She joined the teachers' union in her first year."
"Workers asked their union to speak to the manager about the long hours."
2
The act or result of joining two or more things into one.
"The treaty formed a political union between the two nations."
"Their marriage was celebrated as a union of two families."
"The union of the two small schools created a much bigger one."
3
In mathematics, the set containing all elements found in two or more sets.
"The union of {1,2} and {2,3} is {1,2,3}."
"The union of two overlapping circles covers every point inside either one."
"To find the union, list each element from both sets only once."
How to use union
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost commonly, either a workers' organization, or the joining of two things (countries, people, sets) into one.
Common pairings
trade union
labor union
form a union
union of states
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Word forms
- Plural
- unions
- Third person singular
- unions
- Past tense
- unioned
- Comparative
- more union
- Superlative
- most union
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ voted to go on strike over pay.
Etymology
From Old French union, from Late Latin unio ("oneness, unity"), from Latin unus ("one").
Synonyms
View more →
trade union
labor union
workers' union
organized labor
labor organization
guild
North
join
marriage
sum
brotherhood
unification
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for union
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for union →
Frequently asked questions
What does “union” mean?
The word “union” means an organized group of workers formed to protect their rights and negotiate with employers. In plain terms, most commonly, either a workers' organization, or the joining of two things (countries, people, sets) into one.
How do you pronounce “union”?
“Union” is pronounced YOO-nyuhn (/ˈjuː.njən/ in IPA).
How do you use “union” in a sentence?
Here is “union” used in a sentence: “The union voted to go on strike over pay.”
What part of speech is “union”?
“Union” is a noun.
Where does the word “union” come from?
The word “union” comes from Late Latin. From Old French union, from Late Latin unio ("oneness, unity"), from Latin unus ("one").
Is “union” a common word?
“Union” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “union” have?
“Union” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an organized group of workers formed to protect their rights and negotiate with employers.
What is the difference between a trade union and a labor union?
There is no real difference — they are two names for the same thing. 'Trade union' is the usual term in Britain and much of the Commonwealth, while 'labor union' is standard American English. Both mean an organised group of workers that bargains collectively with employers over pay and conditions.
Why are unions important?
A single worker has little bargaining power, but a union lets employees negotiate as one, giving them real leverage over wages, hours, safety and job security. Unions also represent members in disputes, enforce fair treatment and give workers a collective voice that management is far harder to ignore.
What are the main types of trade unions?
Common forms include craft unions, which organise workers of one skilled trade; industrial unions, which cover everyone in a single industry regardless of job; and general unions, which take members from many trades and industries. Public-sector unions represent government and civil-service employees specifically.
How does a union protect workers' rights?
Chiefly through collective bargaining — negotiating pay, hours and conditions on behalf of all members at once. Unions also represent individuals in grievances and disciplinary hearings, press for safe workplaces, and can organise industrial action such as strikes when talks break down, using numbers as leverage.
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