associateas·so·ci·ate1 /əˈsəʊʃiət, əˈsəʊsi-əˈsoʊ-/ noun [countableC]1someone who you work with or do business withHe manipulated government funds to benefit himself and his associates.
I was recently contacted by a former business associate.
2a member of an organization who has some but not all the rights of a full membera senior research associate of the Family and Work Institute