Join vs. Joint — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 26, 2023
"Join" is a verb meaning to connect or unite, while "Joint" is a noun referring to a connection or a part of the body where two bones meet.
Difference Between Join and Joint
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Key Differences
"Join" and "Joint" are both integral terms in the English language, but they serve different purposes. "Join" is primarily used as a verb and denotes the action of connecting or bringing together. For instance, one might "join" two pieces of wood. On the other hand, "Joint" serves primarily as a noun, and it describes the point at which two things are connected. For example, the knee is a "joint" in the human body.
"Join" can be used in various contexts, such as social, technical, or mathematical. In a social setting, one might "join" a club or group, indicating that they are becoming a part of that collective. In contrast, "Joint" could denote collaboration or partnership, like a "joint venture" between two companies, where both entities come together for a shared goal.
In the realm of construction or craftsmanship, "Join" refers to the act of connecting two materials. A carpenter might "join" two planks to create a larger surface. Simultaneously, "Joint" in this context would describe the place where these materials meet or the method used to connect them, like a "dovetail joint."
In everyday conversation, "Join" might be used to invite someone to participate in an activity, like "join us for dinner." Conversely, "Joint" often refers to parts of the body, such as the "elbow joint" or "wrist joint," indicating areas where two bones come together.
To sum up, while "Join" is an action of coming together or uniting, "Joint" typically refers to the point of connection or the union itself. Both words, though different in meaning, highlight the idea of connection in their respective contexts.
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Verb
Noun
Meaning
To connect or unite
A connection or meeting point
Usage in Sentence
Join the two ropes.
The knee is a joint.
Related to
Action
Location or Point
Contextual Example
Join a club.
Joint venture between companies.
Compare with Definitions
Join
To connect or put together.
Join the puzzle pieces.
Joint
Referring to something done or produced by two people or groups together.
A joint statement was issued by the leaders.
Join
To become a member of a group or organization.
She decided to join the choir.
Joint
A place in a plant stem from which a leaf or branch grows.
New flowers sprouted from the plant's joints.
Join
Link; connect
The tap was joined to a pipe
Join the paragraphs together
Joint
A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones in the body which link the skeletal system into a functional whole. They are constructed to allow for different degrees and types of movement.
Join
A place or line where two or more things are connected or fastened together
It was soldered so well that you couldn't see the join
Joint
A place or part at which two or more things are joined.
Join
To put or bring together so as to make continuous or form a unit
Join two boards with nails.
Joined hands in a circle.
Joint
A way in which two or more things are joined
A mortise-and-tenon joint.
Join
To put or bring into close association or relationship
Two families that were joined by marriage.
Join forces.
Joint
A point of articulation between two or more bones, especially such a connection that allows motion.
Join
To connect (points), as with a straight line.
Joint
A point in the exoskeleton of an invertebrate at which movable parts join, as along the leg of an arthropod.
Join
To meet and merge with
Where the creek joins the river.
Joint
(Botany) An articulation on a fruit or stem, such as the node of a grass stem.
Join
To become a part or member of
Joined the photography club.
Joint
(Geology) A fracture or crack in a rock mass along which no appreciable movement has occurred.
Join
To come into the company of
Joined the group in the waiting room.
Joint
A large cut of meat for roasting.
Join
To participate with in an act or activity
The committee joins me in welcoming you.
Joint
A cheap or disreputable gathering place
"The tavern is ... just a joint with Formica tables, a vinyl floor, lights over the mirrors" (Scott Turow).
Join
To adjoin
Where the garage joins the house.
Joint
A building or dwelling.
Join
To engage in; enter into
Opposing armies joined battle on the plain.
Joint
A prison. Often used with the.
Join
To come together so as to form a connection
Where the two bones join.
Joint
(Slang) A marijuana cigarette.
Join
To act together; form an alliance
The two factions joined to oppose the measure.
Joint
Vulgar Slang A penis.
Join
To become a member of a group.
Joint
Shared by or common to two or more
Our joint presence.
A joint income-tax return.
Join
To take part; participate
Joined in the search.
Joint
Sharing with another or others
A joint tenant.
Join
A joint; a junction.
Joint
Formed or characterized by cooperation or united action
Joint military maneuvers.
Join
An intersection of piping or wiring; an interconnect.
Joint
Involving both houses of a legislature
A joint session of Congress.
Join
An intersection of data in two or more database tables.
Joint
(Law) Regarded as one, especially with regard to tort liability or interest in property.
Join
(computing) The act of joining something, such as a network.
Joint
(Mathematics) Involving two or more variables.
Join
(algebra) The lowest upper bound, an operation between pairs of elements in a lattice, denoted by the symbol ∨.
Joint
To combine or attach with a joint or joints
Securely jointed the sides of the drawer.
Join
(transitive) To connect or combine into one; to put together.
The plumber joined the two ends of the broken pipe.
We joined our efforts to get an even better result.
Joint
To provide or construct with joints
Joint a boom on a crane.
Join
(intransitive) To come together; to meet.
Parallel lines never join.
These two rivers join in about 80 miles.
Joint
To separate (meat) at the joints.
Join
(intransitive) To enter into association or alliance, to unite in a common purpose.
Joint
Done by two or more people or organisations working together.
The play was a joint production between the two companies.
Join
(transitive) To come into the company of.
I will join you watching the football game as soon as I have finished my work.
Joint
The point where two components of a structure join, but are still able to rotate.
This rod is free to swing at the joint with the platform.
Join
(transitive) To become a member of.
Many children join a sports club.
Most politicians have joined a party.
Joint
The point where two components of a structure join rigidly.
The water is leaking out of the joint between the two pipes.
Join
To produce an intersection of data in two or more database tables.
By joining the Customer table on the Product table, we can show each customer's name alongside the products they have ordered.
Joint
(anatomy) Any part of the body where two bones join, in most cases allowing that part of the body to be bent or straightened.
Join
To unite in marriage.
Joint
The means of securing together the meeting surfaces of components of a structure.
The dovetail joint, while more difficult to make, is also quite strong.
Join
To enjoin upon; to command.
Joint
A cut of meat, especially (but not necessarily) (a) one containing a joint in the sense of an articulation or (b) one rolled up and tied.
Set the joint in a roasting tin and roast for the calculated cooking time.
Join
To accept, or engage in, as a contest.
To join encounter, battle, or issue
Joint
The part or space included between two joints, knots, nodes, or articulations.
A joint of cane or of a grass stem; a joint of the leg
Join
To bring together, literally or figuratively; to place in contact; to connect; to couple; to unite; to combine; to associate; to add; to append.
Woe unto them that join house to house.
Held up his left hand, which did flame and burnLike twenty torches joined.
Thy tuneful voice with numbers join.
Joint
(geology) A fracture in which the strata are not offset; a geologic joint.
Join
To associate one's self to; to be or become connected with; to league one's self with; to unite with; as, to join a party; to join the church.
We jointly now to join no other head.
Joint
A place of business, particularly in the food service or hospitality industries.
It was the kind of joint you wouldn't want your boss to see you in.
Join
To unite in marriage.
He that joineth his virgin in matrimony.
What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Joint
A place of resort for tramps.
Join
To enjoin upon; to command.
They join them penance, as they call it.
Joint
An opium den.
Join
To accept, or engage in, as a contest; as, to join encounter, battle, issue.
Joint
Prison.
I'm just trying to stay out of the joint.
Join
To meet with and accompany; as, we joined them at the restaurant.
Joint
(slang) A marijuana cigarette.
After locking the door and closing the shades, they lit the joint.
Join
To combine with (another person) in performing some activity; as, join me in welcoming our new president.
Joint
A syringe used to inject an illicit drug.
Join
To be contiguous, close, or in contact; to come together; to unite; to mingle; to form a union; as, the bones of the skull join; two rivers join.
Whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations?
Nature and fortune joined to make thee great.
Joint
The penis.
Join
The line joining two points; the point common to two intersecting lines.
Joint
Sense}} A thing.
A Spike Lee joint
Join
The place or part where objects have been joined; a joint; a seam.
Joint
(transitive) To unite by a joint or joints; to fit together; to prepare so as to fit together
To joint boards
A jointing plane
Join
The combining of multiple tables to answer a query in a relational database system.
Joint
(transitive) To join; to connect; to unite; to combine.
Join
The shape or manner in which things come together and a connection is made
Joint
(transitive) To provide with a joint or joints; to articulate.
Join
A set containing all and only the members of two or more given sets;
Let C be the union of the sets A and B
Joint
(transitive) To separate the joints; of; to divide at the joint or joints; to disjoint; to cut up into joints, as meat.
Join
Become part of; become a member of a group or organization;
He joined the Communist Party as a young man
Joint
(intransitive) To fit as if by joints; to coalesce as joints do.
The stones joint, neatly.
Join
Cause to become joined or linked;
Join these two parts so that they fit together
Joint
The place or part where two things or parts are joined or united; the union of two or more smooth or even surfaces admitting of a close-fitting or junction; junction; as, a joint between two pieces of timber; a joint in a pipe.
Join
Come into the company of;
She joined him for a drink
Joint
A joining of two things or parts so as to admit of motion; an articulation, whether movable or not; a hinge; as, the knee joint; a node or joint of a stem; a ball and socket joint. See Articulation.
A scaly gauntlet now, with joints of steel,Must glove this hand.
To tear thee joint by joint.
Join
Make contact or come together;
The two roads join here
Joint
The part or space included between two joints, knots, nodes, or articulations; as, a joint of cane or of a grass stem; a joint of the leg.
Join
Be or become joined or united or linked;
The two streets connect to become a highway
Our paths joined
The travelers linked up again at the airport
Joint
Any one of the large pieces of meat, as cut into portions by the butcher for roasting.
Join
To come together with someone or something.
Can I join you for lunch?
Joint
A plane of fracture, or divisional plane, of a rock transverse to the stratification.
Join
To unite in marriage or partnership.
They will join in matrimony next month.
Joint
The space between the adjacent surfaces of two bodies joined and held together, as by means of cement, mortar, etc.; as, a thin joint.
Join
To meet and merge with.
The river joins the sea.
Joint
The means whereby the meeting surfaces of pieces in a structure are secured together.
Joint
A projecting or retreating part in something; any irregularity of line or surface, as in a wall.
Joint
A narrow piece of scenery used to join together two flats or wings of an interior setting.
Joint
A disreputable establishment, or a place of low resort, as for smoking opium; - also used for a commercial establishment, implying a less than impeccable reputation, but often in jest; as, talking about a high-class joint is an oxymoron.
Joint
A marijuana cigarette.
Joint
Prison; - used with "the".
Joint
Joined; united; combined; concerted; as, joint action.
Joint
Involving the united activity of two or more; done or produced by two or more working together.
I read this joint effusion twice over.
Joint
United, joined, or sharing with another or with others; not solitary in interest or action; holding in common with an associate, or with associates; acting together; as, joint heir; joint creditor; a joint bank account; joint debtor, etc.
Joint
Shared by, or affecting two or more; held in common; as, joint property; a joint bond.
A joint burden laid upon us all.
Joint
To unite by a joint or joints; to fit together; to prepare so as to fit together; as, to joint boards.
Pierced through the yielding planks of jointed wood.
Joint
To join; to connect; to unite; to combine.
Jointing their force 'gainst Cæsar.
Joint
To provide with a joint or joints; to articulate.
The fingers are jointed together for motion.
Joint
To separate the joints; of; to divide at the joint or joints; to disjoint; to cut up into joints, as meat.
Quartering, jointing, seething, and roasting.
Joint
To fit as if by joints; to coalesce as joints do; as, the stones joint, neatly.
Joint
(anatomy) the point of connection between two bones or elements of a skeleton (especially if the articulation allows motion)
Joint
A disreputable place of entertainment
Joint
The shape or manner in which things come together and a connection is made
Joint
A piece of meat roasted or for roasting and of a size for slicing into more than one portion
Joint
Junction by which parts or objects are joined together
Joint
Marijuana leaves rolled into a cigarette for smoking
Joint
Fit as if by joints;
The boards fit neatly
Joint
Provide with a joint;
The carpenter jointed two pieces of wood
Joint
Fasten with a joint
Joint
Separate (meat) at the joint
Joint
United or combined;
A joint session of Congress
Joint owners
Joint
Affecting or involving two or more;
Joint income-tax return
Joint ownership
Joint
Involving both houses of a legislature;
A joint session of Congress
Joint
A place where two things are connected.
The elbow is a joint.
Joint
A shared enterprise or venture.
They opened a joint account.
Joint
A term colloquially used to refer to a marijuana cigarette.
He rolled a joint.
Common Curiosities
What does it mean to "join" something?
It means to connect, unite with, or become a member of something.
Is "Joint" related to "Join"?
Yes, both revolve around the concept of connection, but they are used differently.
What part of speech is "Join"?
"Join" is primarily a verb.
What part of speech is "Joint"?
"Joint" is primarily a noun.
What does "Joint" mean in the context of the human body?
It refers to a place where two bones come together.
What's another colloquial meaning of "Joint"?
It can refer to a marijuana cigarette.
How are "Join" and "Joint" related in construction?
"Join" refers to the act of connecting materials, while "Joint" refers to the connection point.
Can "Join" be used as a noun?
While "Join" is primarily a verb, in some contexts, it can be used as a noun, though it's less common.
Can "Joint" be used as an adjective?
Yes, like in "joint effort" or "joint venture."
What is a "joint account"?
It's a shared account, usually in banking, held by two or more individuals.
How is "Join" used in a social context?
It can mean to become a member of a group, like "join a club."
How does "Joint" relate to business ventures?
"Joint" can refer to a shared enterprise, like a "joint venture" between two companies.
Can "Join" and "Joint" be used interchangeably?
No, they serve different functions in a sentence and have distinct meanings.
Can "Join" refer to a physical connection?
Yes, like "join two pieces of wood."
Is a "Joint" always visible?
No, not always. Some joints, like those in woodworking, can be hidden.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
