free-associativeadj.
/friːəˈsəʊʃ(ɪ)ətɪv/, /friːəˈsəʊsɪətɪv/, U.S. /ˌfriəˈsoʊsiədɪv/, /ˌfriəˈsoʊʃədɪv/, /ˌfriəˈsoʊsiˌeɪdɪv/, /ˌfriəˈsoʊʃiˌeɪdɪv/ Chiefly Psychology.
Characterized by, involving, or produced by free association.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > psychology of ideas > association of ideas > [adjective] > relating to free association
free association1889
free-associative1926
1926 H. L. Hollingworth Psychol. of Thought iv. 60 The state of drowsiness seems to be quite like the genuine dream consciousness in which such free associative tendencies are pronounced.
1958 Times Lit. Suppl. 24 Jan. 44/1 A time when literary fantasy of a free-associative, surrealistic kind was by no means the commonplace that it is today.
2004 Psychoanal. Q. 73 627 Such fantasies are often related to images of an ideal free-associative process.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1926