WordGarden.ioconjunct
C2Pronunciation
UK
US
Meanings
Adjective
joined together or acting in combination
moving by adjacent musical steps rather than leaps
in close celestial alignment, especially in astrology
Noun
one element joined with another in a grammatical or logical conjunction
Beyond the definition
Imagine two things brought together to act as one—that is the heart of "conjunct." As an adjective, it can describe things that are joined or closely linked, like two paths meeting or two people connected by a shared interest. In the night sky, astronomers may describe two planets as conjunct when they appear very close together from our perspective on Earth.
In the world of grammar, the term is quite specific. While a word like "and" is a conjunction, the items it joins together are called "conjuncts." Think of "peanut butter and jelly"—the peanut butter and the jelly are the conjuncts being linked! It is all about things being paired or working in unison to create a larger whole.
The word "conjunct" is used most often in technical or formal settings, but its core idea is simple: things that are joined, combined, or closely linked. As an adjective, it can describe a relationship where two things function together as one connected unit.
In astronomy, "conjunct" describes celestial bodies—like planets or stars—that appear near each other in the sky. An astronomer might say, "Mars and Jupiter are conjunct tonight." While they aren't physically touching in space, they appear as a pair to us.
In the realms of grammar and logic, the word takes on a more technical role. In a sentence like "She likes apples and oranges," the words "apples" and "oranges" are the conjuncts because they are the individual components being linked. In logic, a conjunct is one of the statements joined by an "and" operator. You will also encounter conjunctive adverbs (sometimes called conjuncts)—words like "therefore" or "nevertheless"—which act as bridges to connect the meaning of one sentence to the next.
Musicians even use the term to describe a melody's flow. "Conjunct motion" refers to a melody that moves smoothly by small steps rather than large, disconnected jumps. Whether you are looking at aligning stars, building a logical argument, or composing a smooth song, "conjunct" always points to the logic and beauty of things being bound together.
Examples
- 1
Grammar terms
In "tea and coffee," "tea" and "coffee" are the two conjuncts.
- 2
Subject agreement
If the conjuncts refer to two different people, the verb is usually plural.
- 3
Sky position
The moon will be conjunct Jupiter just before dawn.
- Domain
in astronomy and astrology, conjunct means appearing very close together in the sky
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- conjoined
- conjoint
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- conjunct motion
- conjunct planets
- conjunct clauses
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- conjunctadjective