jointly
Americanadverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of jointly
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at joint, -ly
Explanation
When more than one person or group works on something together, they do it jointly. A jointly researched and written term paper should have both the authors' names on the first page. If you and your best friend buy a car together, you do it jointly, and if your whole family chips in to fund your cousin's trip to India, you contribute jointly. You might hear that your favorite radio program is jointly supported by a few local businesses, or read in a poetry magazine that it's jointly edited by two people. Earlier, the preferred word was joinly, though jointly comes from joint and its sense of connection.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Compliance would be policed for 10 years by an independent auditor chosen jointly by Meta and the states, and paid for by the company.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
In the Los Angeles trial, Meta and Google’s YouTube were jointly ordered to pay the plaintiff $6 million.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Will the survivor’s filing status change from married filing jointly to single, potentially pushing them into higher tax brackets?
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
The situation has been complicated by the arrival of the Dana White-fronted Zuffa Boxing, which is jointly owned by Sela and TKO Group Holdings.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
I was often asked how could I accept the award jointly with Mr. de Klerk after I had criticized him so severely.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
