jaunt

The origin of 'jaunt' is obscure, first appearing in English in the late 16th century. It may be related to an earlier, now obsolete verb meaning 'to tire a horse by riding it up and down', which itself could be derived from the Old French 'jalner' meaning 'to grumble, complain'. The semantic shift from a tiresome journey to a short, pleasurable excursion is notable. The modern, lighthearted sense of a brief, enjoyable trip became firmly established by the 17th century, completely overshadowing its potentially arduous origins.

The word 'jaunt' is a simplex word of uncertain origin. It is not productively formed from separable morphemes in modern English.