What is "latin union"

Latin \Lat"in\, a. [F., fr. L. Latinus belonging to Latium, Latin, fr. Latium a country of Italy, in which Rome was situated. Cf. Ladin, Lateen sail, under Lateen.]

1. Of or pertaining to Latium, or to the Latins, a people of Latium; Roman; as, the Latin language.

2. Of, pertaining to, or composed in, the language used by the Romans or Latins; as, a Latin grammar; a Latin composition or idiom.

   Latin Church (Eccl. Hist.), the Western or Roman Catholic Church, as distinct from the Greek or Eastern Church.

   Latin cross. See Illust. 1 of Cross.

   Latin races, a designation sometimes loosely given to certain nations, esp. the French, Spanish, and Italians, who speak languages principally derived from Latin.

   Latin Union, an association of states, originally comprising France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy, which, in 1865, entered into a monetary agreement, providing for an identity in the weight and fineness of the gold and silver coins of those countries, and for the amounts of each kind of coinage by each. Greece, Servia, Roumania, and Spain subsequently joined the Union.

Union \Un"ion\ (?; 277), n. [F., from L. unio oneness, union, a single large pearl, a kind of onion, fr. unus one. See One, and cf. Onion, Unit.]

1. The act of uniting or joining two or more things into one, or the state of being united or joined; junction; coalition; combination.

   Note: Union differs from connection, as it implies that the bodies are in contact, without an inter?ening body; whereas things may be connected by the in???vention of a third body, as by a cord or chain.

2. Agreement and conjunction of mind, spirit, will, affections, or the like; harmony; concord.

3. That which is united, or made one; something formed by a combination or coalition of parts or members; a confederation; a consolidated body; a league; as, the weavers have formed a union; trades unions have become very numerous; the United States of America are often called the Union.
   --A. Hamilton.

4. A textile fabric composed of two or more materials, as cotton, silk, wool, etc., woven together.

5. A large, fine pearl. [Obs.]

   If they [pearls] be white, great, round, smooth, and weighty . . . our dainties and delicates here at Rome . . . call them unions, as a man would say ``singular,'' and by themselves alone.
   --Holland.

   In the cup an union shall he throw, Richer than that which four successive kings In Denmark's crown have worn.
   --Shak.

6. A device emblematic of union, used on a national flag or ensign, sometimes, as in the military standard of Great Britain, covering the whole field; sometimes, as in the flag of the United States, and the English naval and marine flag, occupying the upper inner corner, the rest of the flag being called the fly. Also, a flag having such a device; especially, the flag of Great Britain.

   Note: The union of the United States ensign is a cluster of white stars, denoting the union of the States, and, properly, equal in number to that of the States, displayed on a blue field; the fly being composed of alternate stripes of red and white. The union of the British ensign is the three crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick in combination, denoting the union of England, Scotland and Ireland, displayed on a blue field in the national banner used on shore, on a red, white, or blue field in naval ensigns, and with a white border or fly in the merchant service.

7. (Mach.) A joint or other connection uniting parts of machinery, or the like, as the elastic pipe of a tender connecting it with the feed pipe of a locomotive engine; especially, a pipe fitting for connecting pipes, or pipes and fittings, in such a way as to facilitate disconnection.

8. (Brewing) A cask suspended on trunnions, in which fermentation is carried on. Hypostatic union (Theol.) See under Hypostatic. Latin union. See under Latin. Legislative Union (Eng. Hist.), the union of Great Britain and Ireland, which took place Jan. 1, 1801. Union, or Act of Union (Eng. Hist.), the act by which Scotland was united to England, or by which the two kingdoms were incorporated into one, in 1707. Union by the first intention, or Union by the second intention. (Surg.) See To heal by the first intention, or To heal by the second intention, under Intention. Union down (Naut.), a signal of distress at sea made by reversing the flag, or turning its union downward. Union jack. (Naut.) See Jack, n., 10. Union joint. (Mech.)

   1. A joint formed by means of a union.

   2. A piece of pipe made in the form of the letter T.

      Syn: Unity; junction; connection; concord; alliance; coalition; combination; confederacy.

      Usage: Union, Unity. Union is the act of bringing two or more things together so as to make but one, or the state of being united into one. Unity is a state of simple oneness, either of essence, as the unity of God, or of action, feeling, etc., as unity of design, of affection, etc. Thus, we may speak of effecting a union of interests which shall result in a unity of labor and interest in securing a given object.

      One kingdom, joy, and union without end.
      --Milton.

      [Man] is to . . . beget Like of his like, his image multiplied. In unity defective; which requires Collateral love, and dearest amity.
      --Milton.

The Latin Union is a defunct international organization of nations that use Romance languages, with the aim of protecting, projecting, and promoting the common cultural heritage of Latin peoples and unifying identities of the Latin, and Latin-influenced, world. It was created in 1954 in Madrid, Spain, and existed as a functional institution from 1983 to 2012. Its membership rose from 12 to 36 states, including countries in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.

The official names of the Latin Union are: in Catalan, in French, in Italian, in Portuguese, in Romanian, and in Spanish.

Due to financial difficulties, the Latin Union announced on 26 January 2012 the suspension of its activities, the dissolution of its Secretariat General (effective July 31, 2012) and termination of employment for all the organization's personnel.