junk

UK: /ˈdʒʌŋk/ US: /dʒʌŋk/ ,( jungk)

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

junk¹ /dʒʌŋk/   n. [uncountable]

1. old, mostly useless material or objects, such as metal, paper, or rags:
   junk accumulating in the attic.
2. something thought of as worthless, meaningless, or useless;
   trash:
   junk found in a garage sale.

v. [~ + object]

3. to discard as no longer of use;
   scrap:
   They had to junk the car after thirteen years.

junk•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

junk² /dʒʌŋk/   n. [countable]

1. Nautical, Naval Terms a seagoing ship used primarily in Chinese waters, having square sails, a high stern, and usually a flat bottom.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

junk¹  ( jungk), n. 

1. any old or discarded material, as metal, paper, or rags.
2. anything that is regarded as worthless, meaningless, or contemptible;
   trash.
3. old cable or cordage used when untwisted for making gaskets, swabs, oakum, etc.
4. Nautical, Naval Terms See salt junk. 
5. Sport [Baseball Slang.] relatively slow, unorthodox pitches that are deceptive to the batter in movement or pace, as knuckleballs or forkballs.

v.t. 

6. to cast aside as junk;
   discard as no longer of use;
   scrap.

adj. 

7. cheap, worthless, unwanted, or trashy.

• earlier jonke, of uncertain origin, originally 1480–90

Synonyms

• 1, 2. rubbish, litter, debris, refuse.

junk²  ( jungk), n. 

1. Nautical, Naval Terms a seagoing ship with a traditional Chinese design and used primarily in Chinese waters, having square sails spread by battens, a high stern, and usually a flat bottom.

• dialect, dialectal Chinese (Xiamen) chûn; compare Guangdong dialect, dialectal syùhn, Chinese chuán
• Malay jong, said to be
• Portuguese junco a kind of sailing vessel
• 1545–55

junk³  ( jungk), n. [Slang.]

1. Slang Terms narcotics, esp. heroin.

• perh. special use of junk¹ 1920–25

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

junk / dʒʌŋk/ noun

1. discarded or secondhand objects, etc, collectively
2. rubbish generally
3. nonsense: the play was absolute junk
4. any narcotic drug, esp heroin

verb

1. (transitive) to discard as junk; scrap

Etymology: 15th Century jonke old useless rope

junk / dʒʌŋk/ noun

1. a sailing vessel used in Chinese waters and characterized by a very high poop, flat bottom, and square sails supported by battens

Etymology: 17th Century: from Portuguese junco, from Javanese jon; related to Dutch jonk