From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Junta \Jun"ta\ (j[u^]n"t[.a]), n.; pl. Juntas (j[u^]n"t[.a]z).
[Sp., fr. L. junctus joined, p. p. of jungere to join. See
Join, and cf. Junto.]
1. A council; a convention; a tribunal; an assembly; esp.,
the grand council of state in Spain.
[1913 Webster]
2. A junto.
[PJC]
3. A small committee or group self-appointed to serve as the
government of a country, usually just after a coup d'etat
or revolution, and often composed primarily of military
men. The term is used mostly in Latin American countries.
[PJC]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
junta
n 1: a group of military officers who rule a country after
seizing power [syn: military junta, junta]