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lunchbox

American

[luhnch-boks] / ˈlʌntʃˌbɒks /

noun

a small container, usually of metal or plastic and with a handle, for carrying one's lunch from home to school or work.

lunchbox British

/ ˈlʌntʃˌbɒks /

noun

a container for carrying a packed lunch
humorous a man's genitals

"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

Etymology

Origin of lunchbox

First recorded in 1860–65; lunch + box ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Another of the protesters, Narwin Gil, stopped a policeman from entering the prison with his lunchbox.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

A week ago you may have had no idea who he was, this blonde rocket in sequins who looked like he belonged on a Frozen lunchbox.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

Grab-N-Go salads aren’t just easy to toss into your kiddos’ lunchbox — they also ensure that your kiddos are getting their necessary servings of veggies during the school day.

From Salon • Aug. 22, 2025

I have vague but fond memories of the 1984 Games and clearly remember the Sam the Olympic Eagle lunchbox I toted around in first grade.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 7, 2025

I just sat down in the majestic shadow of a giant billboard and, however tearfully, opened my lunchbox for business, semi-confident that the Chief would find me.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023