Junket has traveled a long road, and its journey began with a basket made of rushes—that is, marsh plants commonly used in weaving and basketwork. The Latin word for "rush" is juncus, which English borrowed and adapted into various forms until settling on junket. That word was used in English to name not just the plant and the baskets made from the plant, but also a type of cream cheese made in rush baskets. Since at least the 15th century, the word has named a variety of comestibles, ranging from curds and cream to sweet confections. (Junket even today also names a dessert.) By the 16th century, junket had come to mean "banquet" or "feast" as well. Apparently, traveling must have been involved to reach some junkets because eventually the term broadened to apply to pleasure outings or trips, whether or not food was the focus. Today, the word usually refers either to a trip made by a government official and paid for by the public, or to a free trip by a member of the press to a place where something, such as a new movie, is being promoted.
Noun
The senator has been criticized for expensive junkets to foreign countries.
took a junket to the city for some sightseeing and shopping Verb
a lobbyist who regularly junkets politicians who are friendly toward the oil industry
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Persol is sponsoring the space, which will be used for press junkets by day and parties by night.—Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 May 2024 Even those rare moments of calm on the Croisette between photo calls and press junkets aren’t likely to offer much relief.—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 16 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for junket
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'junket.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English ioncate, ultimately from Vulgar Latin *juncata, from Latin juncus rush
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