disjunct

adjective dis·junct \ dis-ˈjəŋ(k)t \

Definition of disjunct

: marked by separation of or from usually contiguous parts or individuals: such as

a : discontinuous

b : relating to melodic progression by intervals larger than a major second — compare conjunct

Origin and Etymology of disjunct

Middle English, from Latin disjunctus, past participle of disjungere to disjoin

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First Known Use: 15th century

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disjunct

noun dis·junct \ ˈdis-ˌjəŋ(k)t , dis-ˈ \

Definition of disjunct

1 : any of the alternatives that make up a logical disjunction

2 : an adverb or adverbial (such as luckily in "Luckily we had an extra set" or in short in "In short, there is nothing we can do") that is loosely connected to a sentence and conveys the speaker's or writer's comment on its content, truth, or manner — compare adjunct 2b

Recent Examples of disjunct from the Web

So to have Anna, a television actress, bemoan the confines of her industry creates an unfortunate disjunct that weakens the narrative and lessens our sympathy.

— jeannette catsoulis, New York Times, "Review: ‘A Woman, a Part’ and a Quest to Reconnect," 21 Mar. 2017
Usually, new moons occur only once a month, but because there’s a slight disjunct between the moon’s phases—a 29.5-day cycle, on average—and the Gregorian calendar, some months can have two new moons: one at the beginning and one at the end.

— michael greshko, National Geographic, "The September 30 Black Moon Explained," 28 Sep. 2016

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