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injunction
noun
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Injunction, injunction, what’s your function? When it first joined the English language in the 1400s, injunction referred to an authoritative command, and in the following century it developed a legal second sense applying specifically to a court order. Both of these meanings are still in use. Injunction ultimately comes from the Latin verb injungere (“to enjoin,” i.e., to issue an authoritative command or order), which in turn is based on jungere, meaning “to join”: it is joined as a jungere descendant by several words including junction, conjunction, enjoin, and join.
Synonyms
Examples of injunction in a Sentence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'injunction.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Middle English injunccion, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French enjunxion, from Late Latin injunction-, injunctio, from Latin injungere to enjoin — more at enjoin
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
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Dictionary Entries Near injunction
Cite this Entry
“Injunction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/injunction. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
injunction
nounLegal Definition
injunction
nounNote: An injunction is available as a remedy for harm for which there is no adequate remedy at law. Thus it is used to prevent a future harmful action rather than to compensate for an injury that has already occurred, or to provide relief from harm for which an award of money damages is not a satisfactory solution or for which a monetary value is impossible to calculate. A defendant who violates an injunction is subject to penalty for contempt.
called also final injunction, perpetual injunction
called also temporary injunction
compare temporary restraining order at orderNote: Before a preliminary injunction can be issued, there must be a hearing with prior notice to the defendant. Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65, the hearing and the trial may be consolidated.
Middle French injonction, from Late Latin injunction-, injunctio, from Latin injungere to enjoin, from in- in + jungere to join
More from Merriam-Webster on injunction
Nglish: Translation of injunction for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of injunction for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about injunction
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