junk

[ juhngk ]

/ dʒʌŋk /

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See synonyms for: junk / junked / junker / junkest on Thesaurus.com

noun

any old or discarded material, as metal, paper, or rags.

anything that is regarded as worthless, meaningless, or contemptible; trash.

old cable or cordage used when untwisted for making gaskets, swabs, oakum, etc.

Nautical Slang. salt junk.

Baseball Slang. relatively slow, unorthodox pitches that are deceptive to the batter in movement or pace, as knuckleballs or forkballs.

verb (used with object)

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

adjective

cheap, worthless, unwanted, or trashy.

OTHER WORDS FOR junk

1, 2 rubbish, litter, debris, refuse.

See synonyms for junk on Thesaurus.com

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Question 1 of 6

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Origin of junk

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English jonk, junk “(in sailing) old rope or cable”; further origin uncertain

Other definitions for junk (2 of 3)

junk²

[ juhngk ]

/ dʒʌŋk /

noun

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.

Origin of junk

First recorded in 1545–55; from Portuguese junco, from Malay jong “large boat, ship,” possibly from dialectal Chinese (Xiamen) chûn; compare Guangdong (Cantonese) dialect syùhn, (Mandarin) Chinese chuán

Other definitions for junk (3 of 3)

junk³

[ juhngk ]

/ dʒʌŋk /

noun Slang.

narcotics, especially heroin.

the external genitals: I kicked him in the junk.

Origin of junk

First recorded in 1920–25; perhaps special use of junk¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use junk in a sentence

Of the shell of one they made a kettle, to boil some junks of it in.
Voyage of H.M.S. Pandora|Edward Edwards
I did not think she could last ten minutes in a fight with those ugly junks.
My Life in Many States and in Foreign Lands|George Francis Train
The storm having subsided, the junks were soon left far behind and we reached Macao safely.
My Life in Many States and in Foreign Lands|George Francis Train
The river was covered with junks and larger vessels at Whampoa, the lower port, floating the flags of every nation.
My Life in Many States and in Foreign Lands|George Francis Train

The British bombarded Canton and sunk a large fleet of Chinese war junks up the river.
A History of the Nineteenth Century, Year by Year|Edwin Emerson

British Dictionary definitions for junk (1 of 2)

junk¹

/ (dʒʌŋk) /

noun

discarded or secondhand objects, etc, collectively

informal

rubbish generally
nonsensethe play was absolute junk

slang any narcotic drug, esp heroin

verb

(tr) informal to discard as junk; scrap

Word Origin for junk

C15 jonke old useless rope

British Dictionary definitions for junk (2 of 2)

junk²

/ (dʒʌŋk) /

noun

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

Word Origin for junk

C17: from Portuguese junco, from Javanese jon; related to Dutch jonk

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

junk

OTHER WORDS FOR junk

Origin of junk

Other definitions for junk (2 of 3)

Origin of junk

Other definitions for junk (3 of 3)

Origin of junk

Words related to junk

How to use junk in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for junk (1 of 2)

Word Origin for junk

British Dictionary definitions for junk (2 of 2)

Word Origin for junk