junket

[ juhng-kit ]

noun

1. a sweet, custardlike food of flavored milk curdled with rennet.
2. a pleasure excursion, as a picnic or outing.
3. a trip, as by an official or legislative committee, paid out of public funds and ostensibly to obtain information.

verb (used without object)

1. to go on a junket.

verb (used with object)

1. to entertain; feast; regale.

junket

/ ˈdʒʌŋkɪt /

noun

1. an excursion, esp one made for pleasure at public expense by a public official or committee
2. a sweet dessert made of flavoured milk set to a curd with rennet
3. a feast or festive occasion

verb

1. intr (of a public official, committee, etc) to go on a junket
2. to have or entertain with a feast or festive gathering

Derived Forms

• ˈjunketer, noun
• ˈjunketing, noun

Other Words From

• junket·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of junket¹

1350–1400; Middle English jonket < Old French (dial.) jonquette rush basket, equivalent to jonc (< Latin juncus reed) + -ette -ette

Word History and Origins

Origin of junket¹

C14 (in the sense: rush basket, hence custard served on rushes): from Old French (dialect) jonquette, from jonc rush, from Latin juncus reed

Example Sentences

He visited Israel for 10 days on a literary junket run by critics of Israel and returned to write, by his own account, a one-sided, wholly impressionistic indictment of the country.

From Los Angeles Times

This time around, the already viral clip that is helping keep Flaa's name a topic of public discourse centers on a 12-year-old interview with Hathaway meant to promote the actor's role in "Les Misérables," where Flaa is seen squandering her brief junket slot by asking her interview subject to sing her answers.

From Salon

Sipping a chai at a steakhouse downstairs from where a row of hotel rooms have been converted into colorful versions of the new movie’s afterlife for the purposes of the junket, Ryder holds court for an audience of me.

From Los Angeles Times

“They have a nice little junket for a couple of weeks, they hear a couple of cases and then they’re flown out again,” he said.

From BBC

At a press junket for her new sci-fi movie Atlas last week, Lopez dismissed a question concerning reports of problems with her marriage.

From BBC

Related Words

• excursion