juncture

What it means

1. A place where things join, a junction.

   Synonyms: combination, composite, conjunction, fusion, junction, melding, merger, unification

2. A critical moment in time.

   We're at a crucial juncture in our relationship.

   2 more examples

   What a mercy you are shod with velvet, Jane! a clodhopping messenger would never do at this juncture.

   1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], Jane Eyre. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC

   The object is to keep the yard operators apprised of main-line movements, so that they do not plan to occupy the main lines with activity into or out of the yard at an inopportune juncture.

   1962 October, G. Freeman Allen, “The New Look in Scotland's Northern Division—II”, in Modern Railways, page 170

   Synonyms: point in time, sith, instant, minute, moment, occasion, point in time, sith

3. human sciencesThe manner of moving (transition) or mode of relationship between two consecutive sounds; a suprasegmental phonemic cue, by which a listener can distinguish between two otherwise identical sequences of sounds that have different meanings.

In a sentence

We're at a crucial juncture in our relationship.

Where it comes from

1. Latiniūnctūra
2. Middle Englishjuncture
3. Englishjuncture

Inherited from Middle English juncture, from Latin iūnctūra. Doublet of jointure.