adjunct

noun ad·junct \ ˈa-ˌjəŋ(k)t \

|Updated on: 14 Aug 2018

Editor's Note: Breaking Down adjunct

Definition of adjunct

1 : something joined or added to another thing but not essentially a part of it

The website is designed as an adjunct to the book.

2 grammar

a : a word or word group that qualifies or completes the meaning of another word or other words and is not itself a main structural element in its sentence

b : an adverb or adverbial phrase (such as heartily in "They ate heartily" or at noon in "We left at noon") attached to the verb of a clause especially to express a relation of time, place, frequency, degree, or manner — compare disjunct 2

3 a : an associate or assistant of another

b : an adjunct faculty member at a college or university (see ²adjunct 2)

4 : adjuvant b

—

adjunctive

play \a-ˈjəŋ(k)-tiv, ə-\ adjective

See adjunct defined for English-language learners

See adjunct defined for kids

Examples of adjunct in a Sentence

Because Joseph Ellis has been an outspoken critic of social and women's history, he appears a peculiar choice to write the foreword, despite his many publications on the Revolutionary era. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, he treats Abigail here more as her husband's adjunct and supporter than as her own woman. —Anthony Lewis, New York Times Book Review, 4 Nov. 2007
As an adjunct to its basic educational role, the public library will increasingly serve as an access point to the resources of other libraries as well as to nonlibrary sources of publicly available information. —Fred Lerner, The Story of Libraries, (1945) 1998
In A.D. 400 western Europe was merely a geographic expression. Roman civilization was centered on the Mediterranean, and France, England, and the Rhine valley were mere adjuncts of the Mediterranean world. —Norman F. Cantor, The Civilization of the Middle Ages, 1993
Massage therapy can be used as an adjunct along with the medication.
In “They ate heartily,” the word heartily is an adjunct and in “We left at noon,” the phrase at noon is an adjunct.

Recent Examples of adjunct from the Web

By that point the pickup was no longer simply an adjunct but another vital technological component of one of the most far-reaching transformations in American history: the mechanization and consolidation of Southern agriculture.

— james c. cobb, Smithsonian, "The Pickup Truck’s Transformation From Humble Workhorse to Fancy Toy," 3 July 2018
Over the years the house was used as an adjunct to a hotel.

— mary beth klatt, WSJ, "A Shipping Magnate’s Southern Manse," 23 May 2018
But those who have had repeated trauma in their lives may find this book a useful adjunct to therapy.

— judith newman, New York Times, "Adversity Needn’t Thwart or Define You. Here’s How to Cope.," 6 July 2018
The union is also demanding higher wages, accusing the college of paying its more than 500 adjuncts far less than their counterparts at other UMass schools.

— sophia eppolito, BostonGlobe.com, "UMass Lowell adjunct faculty call out Marty Meehan with targeted ad campaign," 29 June 2018
Tucker is also a former adjunct professor at Belmont University, past Chairman of the Academy of Country Music and is a lifetime member of the Country Music Association.

— monica mercuri, Billboard, "Executive Turntable: Moves at BBR Music Group & Royalty Exchange," 22 June 2018
The best sense anyone can make of Britain’s modestly rising maritime ambitions is that the Royal Navy, including its showpiece carriers, hopes to be a useful adjunct to the American one.

— The Economist, "Britain’s Royal Navy has big ambitions—but a small budget," 31 May 2018
In the second classroom, IUN adjunct professors Jana Szostek and Todd Conover discussed law careers with prospective students around a long conference table.

— sue ellen ross, Post-Tribune, "IUN offers students an Inside Look," 4 May 2018
While one of those units involved tenured and tenure-track professors, the rest were constituted of contingent faculty - adjuncts, lecturers and graduate assistants who teach college classes.

— gregory pratt, chicagotribune.com, "Adjunct faculty at Loyola University Chicago ratify first contract," 27 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'adjunct.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Breaking Down adjunct

With its prefix, ad-, meaning "to or toward", adjunct implies that one thing is "joined to" another. A car wash may be operated as an adjunct to a gas station. An adjunct professor is one who's attached to the college without being a full member of the salaried faculty. And anyone trying to expand his or her vocabulary will find that daily reading of a newspaper is a worthwhile adjunct to actual vocabulary study.

Origin and Etymology of adjunct

borrowed from Latin adjunctum "concomitant factor," from neuter of adjunctus ²adjunct

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1554

in the meaning defined at sense 3a

See Words from the same year

adjunct Synonyms

Synonyms

accessory (also accessary), accoutrement (or accouterment), adapter (also adaptor), add-on, appendage, appliance, attachment, option;

Near Antonyms

essential, necessity, requirement, requisite;

auxiliary, subsidiary;

amenity, doodad, extra, filler, frill, incidental, luxury, nonessential, nonnecessity;

appurtenances, bells and whistles, equipment, furnishings, paraphernalia, trappings;

adornment, decoration, embellishment, enhancement, ornament, trim, trimming;

adjunct

adjective ad·junct \ ˈa-ˌjəŋ(k)t \

Definition of adjunct

1 : added or joined as an accompanying object or circumstance

2 : attached in a subordinate or temporary capacity to a staff

an adjunct professor

—

adjunctly

play \ˈa-ˌjəŋ(k)-tlē, -ˌjəŋk-lē\ adverb

See adjunct defined for English-language learners

Examples of adjunct in a Sentence

But it's Sainte-Marie's less-well-known life as a computer geek—and an adjunct professor of digital art, Native American studies, and philosophy at several universities—that brings her to midtown Manhattan today. —Ophira Edut, Ms., August/September 1999
There is a terrible shortage of jobs in the universities, where, increasingly, men and women with Ph.D.s hang on to various forms of underpaid adjunct posts. Believe me, it happens at Harvard, too. —Martin Peretz, New Republic, 5 July 1999
Using his chauffeur-driven car as an adjunct office, the designer shuttles among the design ateliers of his three major collections: the one that bears his name; Chanel, and, after a seven-year hiatus, Chloé. —Carrie Donovan, New York Times Magazine, 11 Oct. 1992
massage therapy as an adjunct treatment

Recent Examples of adjunct from the Web

These feed on smaller fish that have accumulated mercury, Dana Hunnes, R.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., a senior dietitian at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and an adjunct assistant professor at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, tells SELF.

— korin miller, SELF, "Hilary Duff May Have Eaten Sushi While Pregnant and Everyone Needs to Chill Out About It," 13 July 2018
Microsoft’s approach wins praise from Eileen Donahoe, an adjunct professor at Stanford’s Center for Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law.

— scott thurm, WIRED, "Microsoft Calls For Federal Regulation of Facial Recognition," 13 July 2018
For example, this past winter, SNHU was forced to replace an adjunct professor who incorrectly told a student that Australia wasn’t a country and gave her a failing grade.

— deirdre fernandes, BostonGlobe.com, "An education in hope," 7 July 2018
Jonathan Wheatley, 61, has been an adjunct professor at UMass Lowell since 1986.

— sophia eppolito, BostonGlobe.com, "UMass Lowell adjunct faculty call out Marty Meehan with targeted ad campaign," 29 June 2018
Hiaasen was an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

— jean marbella, baltimoresun.com, "Capital Gazette editor Rob Hiaasen identified as victim of shooting at newspaper," 29 June 2018
Hiaasen was also an adjunct professor at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, and a 2004 Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University.

— eli meixler, Time, "These Are the Victims of the Capital Gazette Shooting," 29 June 2018
My father owned a pharmacy for nearly 30 years and has been an adjunct professor at Long Island University-Brooklyn for just as long.

— alex schiffer, kansascity, "This week in Mizzou recruiting: MPJ, Maliq Carr, Caleb Love and an ode to coaches," 22 June 2018
Other events include a poetry workshop happening on July 28 and Aug. 4, hosted by Brent Terry, who is an adjunct professor at Eastern Connecticut State University.

— michael walsh, Courant Community, "Billy Collins The Focus Of This Year's West Hartford READS Initiative," 21 June 2018

Origin and Etymology of adjunct

borrowed from Latin adjunctus, past participle of adjungere "to link up, join, add, attach" — more at adjoin

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1516

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

Other Education Terms

baccalaureate, colloquium, corequisite, dissertation, monograph, pedant, practicum, survey course, thesis

ADJUNCT Defined for English Language Learners

adjunct

noun

Definition of adjunct for English Language Learners

: something that is joined or added to another thing but is not an essential part of it
grammar : a word or phrase (such as an adverb or prepositional phrase) that provides added information about the meaning of a verb in a sentence by expressing a relation of time, place, manner, etc.