briefcase

[ breef-keys ]

/ ˈbrifˌkeɪs /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR briefcase ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a flat, rectangular case with a handle, often of leather, for carrying books, papers, etc.

Nearby words

bridle suture, bridlewise, bridoon, brie, brief, briefcase, briefer, briefing, briefless, brieflessly, briefly

Origin of briefcase

1925–30; brief (noun) + case²

Can be confused

briefcase handbag pocketbook purse valise wallet

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for briefcase

I settle for a sweater and jacket and throw a tie in my briefcase just in case it turns out to be the prom.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Although in that film, the briefcase contained an atomic bomb.
The Secrets of ‘Pulp Fiction’: 20 Things You Didn’t Know About the Movie on Its 20th Anniversary|Marlow Stern|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He searches patiently through his briefcase and produces a round-trip ticket for the seat in question.
Stacks: Hitting the Note with the Allman Brothers Band|Grover Lewis|March 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He opens the briefcase to reveal hundreds of well-thumbed sheets of paper filled with typewritten words.
The Stacks: The True Greatness of Muhammad Ali|Peter Richmond|February 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He is carrying the briefcase as he enters the room, so still even in walking that he does not disturb the air around him.
The Stacks: The True Greatness of Muhammad Ali|Peter Richmond|February 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At the far end, Reinhart and Dixon watched uneasily as the big Pole removed papers from his briefcase and carefully examined them.
The Variable Man|Philip K. Dick
Even his name was initialed on the outside of the briefcase.
Forever|Robert Sheckley
He brought himself back with a grimace, aware that he was clutching the briefcase of tapes possessively from long habit.
We're Friends, Now|Henry Hasse
After about ten minutes, Elshawe put his pipe carefully on a nearby table and reached down to pick up his briefcase.
By Proxy|Gordon Randall Garrett
"We'll need some food before long, too," Professor Bernardi observed, putting his briefcase down on a fallen log.
Collector's Item|Evelyn E. Smith

British Dictionary definitions for briefcase

briefcase

/ (ˈbriːfˌkeɪs) /

noun

a flat portable case, often of leather, for carrying papers, books, etc

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