disjunctive

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UK/dɪsˈdʒʌŋktɪv/UK/dɪsˈdʒʊŋktɪv/US/dɪsˈd͡ʒʌŋktɪv/

adjective

Not connected; separated.

“The words "but" and "or" are disjunctive conjunctions.”

Opposite
UncommonScrabble 24

Meanings

adjectivedisjunctive (comparative more disjunctive, superlative most disjunctive)

comparative more disjunctive · superlative most disjunctive

  1. Not connected; separated.

    That broken comb exemplifies the apparently inexhaustible strength of the novel's flotsam, its disjunctive detail which makes nevertheless for tonal coherence.

    1985, John Jones, Dostoevsky, Oxford University Press, USA
  2. grammarNot used in immediate conjunction with the verb of which the pronoun is the subject.
  3. grammarTending to join (two clauses), but in a way that conveys a disjunct within the conjoined relationship.

    The words "but" and "or" are disjunctive conjunctions.

  4. Tending to disjoin; separating.

    Antonyms: conjunctive

  5. entertainmentRelating to disjunct tetrachords.

    […] that the phrase should be articulated in one breath; failing this, Quantz recommends that breath should be taken wherever possible on tied notes, between disjunctive notes of continuous semiquavers or at other equivalent moments.

    2005, Simon P. Keefe, The Cambridge Companion to the Concerto, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 206
  6. human sciencesOf or related to a disjunction.

    An opposition of contrariety is not of purely logical concernment; and a disjunctive syllogism with characters opposed in contrariety, in fact, consists of as many pure disjunctive syllogisms as there are opposing predicates.

    1873, Sir William Hamilton, Lectures on Metaphysics and Logic, page 235
noundisjunctive (plural disjunctives)

plural disjunctives

  1. human sciencesA disjunction.

    L. H. Atwater Disjunctives may be turned into conditionals.

  2. grammarA disjunct.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveTending to disjoin; separating.

Opposite

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveserving or tending to divide or separate

Opposite

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latindisjunctīvus“placed in opposition”
  2. Middle Frenchdisjunctif
  3. Middle Englishdisjunctief
  4. Englishdisjunctive

From Middle English disjunctief, disjunctyf, from Middle French disjunctif and Latin disjunctīvus (“placed in opposition”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan disjuntiu, disjuntiu
  • disjuntiunot connected, separated
  • disjuntiugrammar, of a personal pronoun: not used in immediate conjunction
  • disjuntiutending to disjoin; separating
Finnish erillinen, disjunktiivinen
  • erillinennot connected, separated
  • disjunktiivinengrammar, of a personal pronoun: not used in immediate conjunction
  • erottavatending to disjoin; separating
  • eriyttävätending to disjoin; separating
  • disjunktiivinenlogic: of or related to a disjunction
French disjonctif, disjonctif
  • disjonctifnot connected, separated
  • disjonctifgrammar, of a personal pronoun: not used in immediate conjunction
  • disjonctiftending to disjoin; separating
  • disjonctiflogic: of or related to a disjunction
German disjunktiv
  • disjunktivlogic: of or related to a disjunction
Hungarian elkülönült, széttagolt
  • elkülönültnot connected, separated
  • széttagoltnot connected, separated
  • különváltnot connected, separated
  • szétváltnot connected, separated
  • szétválasztottnot connected, separated
  • választótending to disjoin; separating
  • elválasztótending to disjoin; separating
  • szétválasztótending to disjoin; separating
  • diszjunktívtending to disjoin; separating
  • diszjunktívlogic: of or related to a disjunction
Italian disgiuntivo
  • disgiuntivogrammar, of a personal pronoun: not used in immediate conjunction
Japanese 選言的な
  • 選言的な (sengenteki na)logic: of or related to a disjunction
Polish alternatywny
  • alternatywnylogic: of or related to a disjunction
Portuguese disjuntivo, disjuntivo
  • disjuntivogrammar, of a personal pronoun: not used in immediate conjunction
  • disjuntivologic: of or related to a disjunction
Romanian disjunctiv
  • disjunctivlogic: of or related to a disjunction
Spanish disyuntivo, disyuntivo
  • disyuntivonot connected, separated
  • disyuntivogrammar, of a personal pronoun: not used in immediate conjunction

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with disjunctive

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

disjunctive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disjunctive

MLA

“disjunctive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disjunctive. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “disjunctive,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disjunctive.

Source: disjunctive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.