junket

UK: /ˈdʒʌŋkɪt/ US: /ˈdʒʌŋkɪt/ ,( jung′kit)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

jun•ket /ˈdʒʌŋkɪt/   n. 

1. Food [uncountable] a custardlike dessert of flavored milk and rennet.
2. a pleasure trip or excursion:
   [countable] a junket down the Mississippi.
3. Government [countable] a trip taken by a government official at public expense.

v. [no object]

4. Government to go on a junket:
   The Congressmen were junketing in Asia.

jun•ke•teer /ˌdʒʌŋkɪˈtɪr/  jun•ket•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

jun•ket  ( jung′kit), n. 

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

v.i. 

4. Government to go on a junket.

v.t. 

5. to entertain;
   feast;
   regale.

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

jun′ket•er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

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

Etymology: 14th Century (in the sense: rush basket, hence custard served on rushes): from Old French (dialect) jonquette, from jonc rush, from Latin juncus reed

ˈjunketing noun