1. An officially established organization or group with documented structure, rules, and membership requirements
The formal association of doctors met to discuss new ethical guidelines.
A associação formal de médicos se reuniu para discutir novas diretrizes éticas.
2. A legally recognized connection or partnership between entities with formal agreements
They established a formal association between the two universities to collaborate on research.
Eles estabeleceram uma associação formal entre as duas universidades para colaborar em pesquisas.