/ ˈdʒʌŋkɪt; NAmE / noun
( informal , disapproving ) a trip that is made for pleasure by sb who works for the government, etc. and that is paid for using public money
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French jonquette rush basket, from jonc rush, from Latin juncus . Originally denoting a rush basket, especially one for fish (remaining in dialect use), the term also denoted a cream cheese, formerly made in a rush basket or served on a rush mat. A later extended sense, feast, merrymaking , gave rise to this current sense.