It's the Word of the Day podcast for May 16th.

Today's word is Junkett, spelled J-U-N-K-E-T. Junkett is a noun. It refers to a trip that is paid for by someone else, such as a promotional trip made

at another's expense or an official's trip made at public expense. Here's the word used in a sentence

from the Oklahoman online. Our regents are doing nothing to curtail the expectation that

presidents and schools must pay dearly for board members to attend

obscenely expensive junkets and entertain them while they're doing the taxpayers' business.

The word 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 basket work.

The Latin word for rush is Junkus, which English borrowed and adapted into various forms

until settling on Junkett.

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. Junkett even today also names a dessert.

By the 16th century, Junkett 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.

With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.

Visit Miriamwebster.com today for definitions, wordplay, and trending word lookups.

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