junket

1 of 2

noun

jun·​ket ˈjəŋ-kət 

1

a

: trip, journey: such as

(1)

: a trip made by an official at public expense

(2)

: a promotional trip made at another's expense

a film's press junket

b

: a festive social affair

2

: a dessert of sweetened flavored milk set with rennet

junket

2 of 2

verb

junketed; junketing; junkets

intransitive verb

1

: to go on a junket

2

: feast, banquet

junketeer

ˌjəŋ-kə-ˈtir 

noun

or junketer

ˈjəŋ-kə-tər 

Did you know?

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.

Synonyms

Noun

• excursion
• jaunt
• outing
• ramble
• sally
• sashay
• sortie
• spin

Verb

• banquet
• dine
• feast
• regale

Examples of junket in a Sentence

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

Doing a junket and doing press is difficult, and Ralph does three, four films a year. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2024

Does this include the lavish golf junkets and vacations that insurance companies rain on their high producers? —Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024

Verb

The studio is junketing the film for international press from June 18-19, which means that most of its interviews will be banked if the talks with SAG-AFTRA falter. —Matt Donnelly, Variety, 13 June 2023

Spielberg, who is by far the film’s biggest star, also limited his press presence almost exclusively to junket interviews. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 13 Dec. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English ioncate, ultimately from Vulgar Latin *juncata, from Latin juncus rush

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1786, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

junket

1 of 2 noun

jun·​ket ˈjəŋ-kət 

1

: a dessert of sweetened flavored milk set in a jelly

2

: trip entry 1 sense 2a

especially : a trip made by an official at public expense

junket

2 of 2 verb

1

: feast entry 2 sense 1, banquet

2

: to go on a junket