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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.
Examples of junket in a Sentence
Datwon Thomas, VIBE.com, 6 June 2026
And this cast wasn’t simply showing up to junkets.
—Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Matt Donnelly, Variety, 13 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for junket
Cite this Entry
“Junket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/junket. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
junket
1 of 2 noun
junket
2 of 2 verb
