junction

Etymology

From Latin iūnctiō (“union, joining, uniting”), from iungō (“join, attach together”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdʒʌŋkʃən/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌŋkʃən

Noun

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.
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.