adjunct

noun

ad·junct | \ ˈa-ˌjəŋ(k)t

Definition of adjunct

(Entry 1 of 2)

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 sense 2

3a : an associate or assistant of another

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

4 : adjuvant sense b

adjunct

adjective

Definition of adjunct (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : added or joined as an accompanying object or circumstance

2 : attached in a subordinate or temporary capacity to a staff an adjunct professor

Other Words from adjunct Synonyms Breaking Down Adjunct More Example Sentences Learn More about adjunct

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from adjunct

Noun

adjunctive \ a-ˈjəŋ(k)-tiv

, ə- \ adjective

Adjective

adjunctly \ ˈa-ˌjəŋ(k)-tlē

, -ˌjəŋk-lē \ adverb

Examples of adjunct in a Sentence

Noun 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. Adjective 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 on the Web: Noun There is emerging data to show that, for certain types of mental-health concerns, at low to moderate severity, certain types of digital tools, like those the V.A. uses, are a very effective adjunct to working with a therapist. — Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, "Recovering from the Emotional Challenges of the Pandemic," 30 Mar. 2021 On Friday, Reilly told The Enquirer Ucker's contract as an adjunct was not renewed. — Madeline Mitchell, The Enquirer, "UC professor who called COVID-19 'the Chinese virus' not asked to return," 22 Mar. 2021 Of course, hard things take courage to do, but the more powerful adjunct to courage is to try to avoid doing stupid things. — Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, "When entrepreneurs are close to getting what they want — why do they hesitate?," 22 Mar. 2021 Supposedly, the District of Columbia is a separate entity, not an adjunct of the White House when occupied by a Joe Biden or Barack Obama. — WSJ, "Jan. 6 and D.C.’s Political Death Inquests," 5 Mar. 2021 Under the Trump administration, the OLC instead functioned to a troubling degree as an adjunct of White House policy preferences, issuing opinions that did not convince the vast majority of constitutional lawyers. — Star Tribune, "Justice Department really needs Merrick Garland," 7 Jan. 2021 Making the Space Force a natural adjunct of the academy is one valuable way to do so. — Tom Rogan, Washington Examiner, "Space Force belongs in Colorado," 10 Dec. 2020 Leaders everywhere are experiencing pressure on both sides, said Phelan, the Georgetown University professor, who also is an adjunct at Georgetown’s Law Center. — cleveland, "Will Ohio’s overnight curfew reduce coronavirus spread?," 19 Nov. 2020 Your dog is no longer an outdoor adjunct to the family, but a full member in good standing. — Daniel Dorsa, Smithsonian Magazine, "The New Science of Our Ancient Bond With Dogs," 17 Nov. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Selby Bush is the acting head of corporate affairs at BHP, specializing in petroleum, and an adjunct professor at the GW Graduate School of Political Management. — Washington Examiner Staff, Washington Examiner, "A conversation on US energy policy and the effects of climate change," 1 Apr. 2021 In addition to practicing law, Ezell also teaches criminal justice as an adjunct lecturer at Indiana University Northwest. — Post-tribune Staff, chicagotribune.com, "Community news," 12 Mar. 2021 Peter Atwater, an adjunct lecturer in the economics department at William & Mary, a U.S. college, says the letter that better captures the stark reality of 2020 is K. — Catarina Saraiva, Bloomberg.com, "The Shape of the Recovery May End Up Coming From Another Alphabet," 23 Dec. 2020 Joseph Epstein, who wrote the op-ed, taught English at Northwestern as an adjunct lecturer for three decades, but stopped teaching in 2003. — Katie Shepherd, Washington Post, "As critics blast a ‘misogynistic’ op-ed on Jill Biden, a Wall Street Journal editor blames ‘cancel culture’," 14 Dec. 2020 Dorothy, an adjunct professor of English, is sitting in a public toilet, worried about her sixth day of bleeding after a miscarriage and ignoring a call from her therapist. — New York Times, "A Debut Novel With Prose as Lively as Its Heroine’s Mind," 15 Mar. 2021 Ridlehoover, also an adjunct professor at Hamline University, will replace Jeff Schwiebert, who is retiring after seven years with the central Minnesota district. — Star Tribune, "Minnesota briefs: Supreme Court sides with Freeborn County sheriff in salary dispute," 13 Mar. 2021 David Batson, an adjunct professor, submitted his letter of resignation to law school Dean William Treanor on Friday, a day after he was placed on administrative leave Thursday. — NBC News, "Georgetown Law professor resigns over 'insensitive remarks' about Black students," 13 Mar. 2021 Its difficult heroine is Dorothy, an overqualified adjunct literature professor who is enduring the prolonged aftereffects of a miscarriage. — Sam Sacks, WSJ, "Fiction: ‘An I-Novel’ Review," 12 Mar. 2021

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.

History and Etymology for adjunct

Noun

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

Adjective

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

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about adjunct

Dictionary Entries near adjunct

Statistics for adjunct

Last Updated

6 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Adjunct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adjunct. Accessed 12 Apr. 2021.

Style: MLA

MLA

Chicago

APA

Merriam-Webster Check Mark Icon

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for adjunct

adjunct

noun

English Language Learners Definition of adjunct

(Entry 1 of 2)

: 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.

adjunct

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of adjunct (Entry 2 of 2)

: added or joined in order to be used with something

: added to a teaching staff for only a short time or in a lower position than other staff

See the full definition for adjunct in the English Language Learners Dictionary

adjunct

noun

ad·junct | \ ˈaj-ˌəŋ(k)t