- junta
- 1623, "Spanish legislative council," from Sp. junta "council, meeting, convention," from M.L. juncta "joint," from L. juncta, fem. pp. of jungere "to join" (see jugular). Meaning of "political or military group in power" first recorded 1641 as junto (from confusion with Sp. nouns ending in -o), originally with ref. to the Cabinet Council of Charles I. Modern spelling in this sense is from 1714; popularized 1808 in connection with council formed to resist Napoleon.