injungere

Injungere is a Latin verb of transitive meaning that covers several related ideas: to join or unite, to attach or fasten, and, figuratively, to impose or lay upon, including to command or enjoin. The term underpins the English verb enjoin in its sense of commanding or restricting an action.

The verb is formed with the prefix in- and the verb stem jung-, connected to the root iung- meaning “to join.” Its principal parts are injungo, injungere, injunxi, injunctum. The related noun injunctio refers to the act of enjoining or the instruction given. The morphology reflects a core sense of placing something onto something else or imposing an obligation.

Usage and derivatives: In classical Latin, injungere is used transitively with a thing as the direct object and often conveys the idea of imposing a burden, duty, or instruction on someone. From Latin, the verb gave rise to the Old French enjoindre and ultimately to the English enjoin and injunction. In modern English, enjoin typically means to command or prohibit by authority, often expressed in a court order (an injunction). The verb and its derivatives appear in legal, religious, and rhetorical contexts, serving to articulate the notion of directing action or restraint.

See also: enjoin, injunction, injunctive, injunctions. In scholarly discussions, injungere is primarily of historical linguistic interest, illustrating the lineage of terms used to impose duties or commands.