1. A grammatical mood that expresses doubts, wishes, and possibilities.
2. In grammar, denoting or pertaining to the mood of a verb that marks a statement or question; such as, hypothetical, doubtful, or grammatically subordinate; for example, "were" in "if I were you".
3. Etymology: "a gramatical mood of a verb to denote an action or state as conceived and not as a fact"; from Late Latin subjunctivus, "serving to join, connecting", from the stem of subjungere, "to append, to add at the end, to place under"; from sub-, "under" + jungere, "to join".

The form were is used in clauses introduced by if, as if, as though, or supposing, as in:

• If you were to go, you might not be allowed to return.
• It's not as though she were a beauty queen.
• Suppose I were to meet you in the restaurant after the show.

The subjunctive also occurs in fixed expressions; such as, as it were, be that as it may, come what may, and far be it from me.