juncture

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 21, 2020 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>juncture</strong> &#149; \JUNK-cher\&nbsp; &#149; <em>noun</em><br /> <p><strong>1 :</strong> a point of time; <em>especially</em> <strong>:</strong> one made critical by a concurrence of circumstances</p> <p><strong>2 :</strong> <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joint">joint</a>, <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/connection">connection</a></p> <p><strong>3 :</strong> an instance of joining <strong>:</strong> <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/junction">junction</a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>"At this <em>juncture</em> in the editing process," said Philip, "it is important that all facts have been double-checked and sources verified."</p> <p>"'Palm Springs' further cements [Andy] Samberg as one of the funniest talents in comedy today. From cult-classics such as 'Hot Rod' and 'Popstar' to the hit sitcom, 'Brooklyn-Nine-Nine,' his comedic chops are hall-of-fame-level at this <em>juncture</em>." — <a href="https://www.telegraphherald.com/news/features/article_b4c5da20-655f-5b8b-8413-7624c4505670.html">Austin Ellis, <em>The Telegraph Herald</em> (Dubuque, Iowa), 17 July 2020</a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p><em>Juncture</em> has many relatives—both obvious and obscure—in English. <em>Juncture</em> derives from the Latin verb <em>jungere</em> ("to join"), which gave us not only <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/join">join</a></em> and <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/junction">junction</a></em> but also <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conjugal">conjugal</a></em> ("relating to marriage") and <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/junta">junta</a></em> ("a group of persons controlling a government"). <em>Jun