# adjunct

/ˈæˌdʒəŋkt/ (US) · /ˈæddʒʌŋkt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/adjunct
Updated: 2026-05-04

## Definition

a person who helps in a job but is not a full member of the team. You often see this word for teachers who work part-time or on short contracts.

For teachers: a person employed in a secondary, temporary, or non-permanent role, especially in higher education or law. In grammar, it refers to a word or phrase that adds extra information to a clause but is not essential to its structure.

## Examples

- She works as an adjunct professor at the university.
- The law firm hired several adjunct lawyers to handle the sudden increase in cases.
- While tenure-track faculty focus on research, adjunct instructors often carry the bulk of undergraduate teaching, providing essential instruction without the security of permanent employment.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.