junctures

Junctures are points at which two things come together or connect, or moments when events or processes meet and potentially change direction. The term can refer to a physical connection, a transition, or a crucial turning point in time. It derives from Latin junctura, from jungere, to join.

In linguistics, a juncture denotes a boundary or pause between sounds or words that can affect meaning or interpretation. Phonetic or prosodic junctures help listeners chunk speech into units such as morphemes and words, and small differences in juncture can alter how phrases are understood.

In biology, cell junctions are specialized structures that connect adjacent cells, regulating adhesion, communication, and barrier functions. Common types include tight junctions (which limit passage of substances between cells), adherens junctions and desmosomes (which attach cells to each other and the cytoskeleton), and gap junctions (which enable direct cytoplasmic exchange between cells).

In broader usage, juncture often refers to turning points in history, politics, or strategy—the moments when decisions or events determine future development. In geography and infrastructure, the related term junction is more typical for a physical crossing or intersection of routes, while juncture emphasizes the moment of connection or transition.

Overall, junctures capture the idea of connection and change across disciplines, from the micro scale of cells to the macro scale of historical events, and into the everyday phenomena of speech and movement.