Coniunctura

Coniunctura is a Latin noun ordinarily meaning the act or result of joining, a conjunction, or a union. It derives from coniungere, “to join,” with the suffix -tūra forming an abstract or nominal idea. The term appears in classical, medieval, and early modern Latin texts, often in descriptive rather than technical contexts.

In linguistic and grammatical usage, coniunctura refers to the joining of words or clauses, particularly the coordination or linking of elements in a sentence. It is associated with discussions of syntax and rhetorical description of how parts of a sentence are united, and it is sometimes contrasted with subordination or other types of syntactic linkage.

In logic and philosophy, the word is encountered in Latin-treated discussions of conjunctions, where coniunctura can be used to denote the operation or state of conjunction, akin to the logical operator “and.” In such contexts, coniunctura appears alongside more specialized terms like conjunctio or coniunctio, reflecting variations in Latin terminology for logical connectives.

In astronomy and astrology, coniunctura denotes a planetary or celestial conjunction, the moment when two celestial bodies share the same longitude or appear aligned from Earth. Medieval and early modern Latin authors used the term to describe such alignments and their supposed astronomical or astrological significance.

Today, coniunctura is primarily of historical or philological interest. Modern discussions tend to favor more precise terms in their respective fields, with coniunctura understood as a general designation for joining or conjunction in earlier Latin usage. See also coniunctio, conjunctio, and conjunction.