rucksack
Americannoun
-
rucksacks
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of rucksack
1890–95; < German: literally, back sack
Explanation
A rucksack is another name for a backpack or knapsack. On the first day of school, you might load up your rucksack with new notebooks and sharp pencils. Depending on where you live (and possibly, how old you are), you might call a rucksack a bookbag, a sackpack, or a kitpack. However you say it, it's a bag with shoulder straps that's designed to be carried on your back. Rucksack is originally a German word, from the Alpine-German dialect word Rück, "the back," and Sack, "large bag."
Vocabulary lists containing rucksack
A Monster Calls
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
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Between Shades of Gray
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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.
See Examples For:
The inquest also heard from Daryl Paul, who was jailed in 2021 for stealing the rucksack containing Noah's laptop.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
“No one wanted to buy an expensive rucksack made in America,” Emily said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
"Anyone who has buried a rucksack or holdall bag at the site and would like it back is asked to get in contact with us," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
"I had the certificate in my rucksack and I was riding home to show it to my mum and dad."
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
I make the rucksack comfortable with a shrug, say “C’mon, Manchee,” and off we go up the trail, following the girl.
From "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness
Hundreds of people this weekend in New York City and across the country will remember Sept. 11, 2001, by throwing on rucksacks filled with weights and supplies and marching for hours.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Groups of all ages converged on the city centre to the sound of drums and guitars, with hardy pilgrims lugging rucksacks and camping material on their backs.
From Barron's ● Jun. 7, 2026
Men, women and children carried their belongings in plastic bags, shopping bags and rucksacks.
From Reuters ● Nov. 24, 2023
With rucksacks, zippers, straps, and toggles, Williams cleverly infused a sense of practicality into high fashion.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 22, 2023
Ampai sent the big man, Yai, back into the alley to retrieve their rucksacks.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
