Join is a commonly heard term used to indicate the connection or conjunction of two or more things. Just because of the addition of a prefix, the meaning of words can sometimes change drastically. And same is the case with words joined and conjoined since they might sound similar but are different.
Key Takeaways
- “Joined” describes connecting or bringing together, while “conjoined” refers specifically to physically attached or fused things.
- Joined items can be separated without harm, while separating conjoined items may cause damage or require surgery.
- Joined applies to a broader range of subjects, while conjoined is primarily used in the context of conjoined twins or anatomical structures.
Joined vs Conjoined
“Joined” means that two or more things have been brought together to form a unified whole, without necessarily implying that the individual parts have been physically fused. “Conjoined” refers to things that are physically fused together in some way in a way that cannot be easily separated.
Joined is a word used to describe a connection or a link between two things or even more than two things. It is a very frequently used term in our day-to-day lives. For example, while signing the deal, people often describe the incidents as – ‘The two parties joined hands.’
Conjoined can also be seen as a synonym of Join. It is also often used interchangeably with a join but differs greatly. Conjoined is used mainly while talking about conjoined twins connected with each other by an organ since birth. It was taken from the Latin and French words conjungere and conjoindre.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Joined | Conjoined |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | What is used when a connection or link is to be described | Conjoined generally refers to two things being joined together. |
| Originated from | Join originated from the ancient French word joindre | Conjoined originated from Latin and French words conjungere and conjoindre. |
| Type of term | joined is a verb. | Conjoined can be seen as a synonym of joined and is also work |
| Form of word | joined are a simple past participle and past tense of join | joined is a simple past participle and past tense of conjoin |
| Example | For example – you finally joined a new office | For example – the conjoined twins were born healthy. |
What is Joined?
Joined refers to a connection or linking between two or more things. While this is the official definition, sometimes joined is also used in place of conjoined and vice versa. It is one word that sounds similar to their synonyms but still holds a different definition and meaning.
Joined is a very commonly used word that is included in our conversations and even written works on a daily basis. It is a form of the verb and a simple past and past participle of the word Join. It is often also used in explaining the union of two or more separate things, parties, associations, etc. Not many people know that the words joined and conjoined can not always be used interchangeably and make the mistake of using them in place of one another, which often dramatically changes the meaning of a sentence.
The word joined comes from an old French word joindre; some people also claim it comes from the Latin word conjungere. Why it doesn’t matter much where the word comes from does matter that we use it in a correct reference. To understand more clearly, let’s look at some examples: He finally joined his new office; The two teams joined hands; We joined our hands for prayer, etc.
What is Conjoined?
Conjoined is a word that sounds very similar to joined and has a meaning close to joining. Conjoined refers to joining two bodies or things together; it is linking or connecting with each other. It is also sometimes seen as a synonym for joining by some people, which is incorrect.
It is a term often referred to as conjoined twins, which means twins that have been physically connected since birth. And therefore, the word is used to address twins of these kinds. If we look closely, we will notice that the word conjoined comes from the word joined by adding the prefix con. The subpart ‘co’ of this prefix generally defines that the two parts being joined together are an enclosed association to one another and therefore gives equal importance to both the parts, which is not in the case of joining.
Conjoined is also regarded as a word that originated from the Latin word conjungere and the old French word conjoindre. It is a verb and a paste and past participle tense of Conjoin. For a clear understanding, here are some examples: They are blessed with conjoined twins, she beautifully conjoined the two ideas, etc.
Main Differences Between Joined and Conjoined
- Joined means linking or connecting two or more things, while conjoined means joining together two things or bodies.
- Joined originated from the old French word joindre, whereas conjoined originated from the old French word conjoindre.
- Joined is a verb. Joined is a synonym of joined as well as a verb.
- Joined is a past participle or simple past tense of Join, and on the other hand, conjoined is a past participle or simple past tense of conjoin.
- Example of joined: They joined hands for this excellent venture. Example of conjoined: the two conjoined babies shared an arm.
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
