juncture

English

Etymology

From Latin iūnctūra.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdʒʌŋk.tʃə(ɹ)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈdʒʌŋk.tʃɚ/, /ˈdʒʌŋk.ʃɚ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

juncture (plural junctures)

1. A place where things join, a junction.
2. A critical moment in time.

   We're at a crucial juncture in our relationship.

   • Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

     What a mercy you are shod with velvet, Jane! a clodhopping messenger would never do at this juncture.

3. (linguistics) The manner of moving (transition) or mode of relationship between two consecutive sounds; a suprasegmental phonemic cue, by which a listener can distinguish between two otherwise identical sequences of sounds that have different meanings.

Usage notes

In highly formal or bureaucratic language, "at this juncture" is often used as a fancy way of saying "now".

• I'm unable to ascertain its whereabouts at this juncture.

Translations

junction

• Dutch: aanhechtingspunt (nl) n, verbinding (nl) f
• German: Verbindungspunkt m, Verbindungsstelle f
• Irish: acomhal m

• Russian: стык (ru) m (styk), соедине́ние (ru) n (sojedinénije), спай (ru) m (spaj), ме́сто соедине́ния n (mésto sojedinénija)
• Spanish: juntura (es) f

critical moment in time

• Dutch: ogenblik (nl) n

• Russian: конъюнкту́ра (ru) f (konʺjunktúra), стече́ние обстоя́тельств (ru) n (stečénije obstojátelʹstv), положе́ние дел n (položénije del)

manner of transition between two consecutive sounds

• French: joncture (fr)

• German: Junktur (de)

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Latin

Participle

jūnctūre

1. vocative masculine singular of jūnctūrus