junction

From Latin iūnctiō (“union, joining, uniting”), from iungō (“join, attach together”). Equivalent to join +‎ -tion.

• IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒʌŋkʃən/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌŋkʃən

junction (plural junctions)

1. The act of joining, or the state of being joined.
2. A place where two things meet, especially where two roads meet.
3. The boundary between two physically different materials, especially between conductors, semiconductors, or metals.
4. (nautical) The place where a distributary departs from the main stream.
5. (rail transport) A place where two or more railways or railroads meet.
   • 2012, Andrew Martin, Underground Overground: A passenger's history of the Tube, Profile Books, →ISBN, page 66:

     In the mid-1930s, when Stalin was looking to make a statement with his new Metro, he consulted Underground engineers, who offered advice to the Russian Minister in charge of the Metro project, Nikita Khrushchev. He was severely told: 'Don't have a Circle Line - too many flat junctions.' Moscow did build a circle line, but with flying junctions, by which one track goes over another.

6. (radio, television) A point in time between two unrelated consecutive broadcasts.
   • 2007, Gary Hudson, Sarah Rowlands, The Broadcast Journalism Handbook (page 336)

     Even rolling news has junctions to meet - headlines on the hour or half-hour, or links to live events, for example.

   • 2010, Peter Stewart, Essential Radio Skills: How to Present a Radio Show:

     Try to avoid becoming too predictable or repetitive, particularly at regular junctions.

7. (computing, Microsoft Windows) A kind of symbolic link to a directory.
8. (programming) In the Raku programming language, a construct representing a composite of several values connected by an operator.
9. (electronics) electrical junction: a point or area where multiple conductors or semiconductors make physical contact.

• (place where two things meet): intersection

• → Bengali: জংশন (jôṅśônô)
• → Japanese: ジャンクション

• crossroad
• intersection
• juncture

junction (third-person singular simple present junctions, present participle junctioning, simple past and past participle junctioned)

1. (of roads or tracks) To form a junction.