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Origin and history of join

join(v.)

c. 1300, "to unite (things) into a whole, combine, put or bring together; juxtapose," also "unite, be joined" (intrans.), from joign-, stem of Old French joindre "join, connect, unite; have sexual intercourse with" (12c.), from Latin iungere "to join together, unite, yoke," from nasalized form of PIE root *yeug- "to join."

Meaning "unite, become associated, form an alliance" is from early 14c. Meaning "to unite (two persons) in marriage" is from mid-14c. Figuratively (of virtues, qualities, hearts, etc.) from late 14c. Of battles, "to begin," from late 14c. In Middle English join on (c. 1400) meant "to attack (someone), begin to fight with." Meaning "go to and accompany (someone)" is from 1713; that of "unite, form a junction with" is from 1702. Related: Joined; joining.

Join up "enlist in the army" is from 1916. Phrase if you can't beat them, join them is from 1953. To be joined at the hip figuratively ("always in close connection") is by 1986, from the literal sense in reference to "Siamese twins." In Middle English, join sometimes is short for enjoin.

also from c. 1300

Entries linking to join

joiner(n.)

early 14c. (late 12c. as a surname), joynour "maker of furniture, small boxes, etc.," from Old French joigneor "joiner, carpenter," agent noun from joindre "to join" (see join (v.)). A craftsman in wood who did lighter and more ornamental work; often meaning the carpenter who does the internal and external finishings of a house, ship, etc. Meaning "one who makes a habit of joining" (societies, clubs, etc.) is from 1890. Related: Joinery.

rejoin(v.1)

also re-join, 1540s, of things, intransitive, "unite again, unite after separation," from re- "again" + join (v.). Transitive sense of "join again, reunite (one thing or person to or with another)" is from 1560s. Meaning "join the company of again" is from 1610s. Related: Rejoined; rejoining.

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More to explore

connect
mid-15c., "to join, bind, or fasten together," from Latin conectere "join together," from assimilated form of com "together" (see con-) + nectere "to bind, tie" (from PIE root *ned- "to bind, tie"). Displaced 16c. by connex (1540s), from French connexer, from Latin *connexare, a
link
early 15c., "one of a series of rings or loops which form a chain; section of a cord," probably from Old Norse *hlenkr or a similar Scandinavian source (compare Old Norse hlekkr "link," in plural, "chain;" Old Swedish lænker "chain, link," Norwegian lenke "a link," Danish lænke "
articulation
early 15c., articulacioun (Chauliac), "a joint or joining; setting of bones," from Old French articulation, from Medieval Latin articulationem (nominative articulatio) "separation into joints," noun of action from past-participle stem of articulare "to separate (meat) into joints
conjuncture
from French conjoncture (16c.), from Medieval Latin coniunctura, from Latin coniunctus, past participle of coniugere "to join...together," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + iungere "to join together" (from nasalized form of...PIE root *yeug- "to join")....
conjugal
from Latin coniugalis "relating to marriage," from coniunx (genitive coniugis) "spouse," which is related to coniugare "to join...together," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + iugare "to join," from iugum "yoke" (from PIE root...*yeug- "to join")....
conjugation
(nominative coniugatio), literally "a combining, connecting," noun of action from past-participle stem of coniugare "to join...together," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + iugare "to join," from iugum "yoke" (from PIE root...*yeug- "to join")....
adjoin
ally" (a sense now obsolete); late 14c. as "be contiguous with, be adjacent to," from Old French ajoin- stem of ajoindre "join...together, unite," from Latin adiungere "fasten on, harness, join to," from ad "to" (see ad-) + iungere "to bind together..." (from a nasalized form of PIE root *yeug- "to join")....
union
early 15c., "action of joining one thing to another," also "agreement, accord," also "state of matrimony," from Anglo-French unioun, Old French union (12c.), from Late Latin unionem (nominative unio) "oneness, unity, a uniting," also in Latin meaning "a single pearl or onion," fr
scarf
[band of silk, strip of cloth], 1550s, "a band worn across the body or over the shoulders," probably from Old North French escarpe "sash, sling," which probably is identical with Old French escherpe "pilgrim's purse suspended from the neck," perhaps from Frankish *skirpja or some
twin
Old English twinn "consisting of two, twofold, double, two-by-two," from Proto-Germanic *twisnjaz "double" (source also of Old Norse tvinnr "double, twin," Old Danish tvinling, Dutch tweeling, German zwillung), from PIE *dwisno- (source also of Latin bini "two each," Lithuanian d

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