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Synonyms

suitcase

American  
[soot-keys] / ˈsutˌkeɪs /

noun

  • suitcases
    plural
  1. a usually rectangular piece of luggage especially for carrying clothes while traveling.


suitcase British  
/ ˈsuːtˌkeɪs, ˈsjuːt- /

noun

  1. a portable rectangular travelling case, usually stiffened, for carrying clothing, 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

suitcase Idioms  
  1. see live out (of a suitcase).


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of suitcase

First recorded in 1900–05; suit + case 2

Compare meaning

How does suitcase compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Explanation

A suitcase is a piece of luggage that usually has a handle. If you're going on a week-long vacation, you should probably pack a suitcase to bring with you. Don't forget your toothbrush! If your suitcase is large enough, you'll have to check it when you fly on an airplane — you can carry only small suitcases into the cabin of the plane. These days most suitcases have wheels so you can roll them along behind you as you walk through a bus station or down the sidewalk. The earliest suitcases were sewn from wool, linen, or leather, often covering a wooden frame. Today, most suitcases are made of nylon or lightweight metal.

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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:

It seems unlikely that the coiffed and polished Harp would freely choose to forgo a real suitcase in order to carry an oversized sack like a disorganized college kid.

From Salon Sep. 16, 2026

He’s a lovely man, and he’s always got a suitcase in the hall.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 16, 2026

While that post-vacation glow typically fades once your suitcase is unpacked, the resilience sticks around.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 26, 2026

A single suitcase lay open on the floor when AFP visited Ren's temporary residence in Beihai.

From Barron's Aug. 25, 2026

Mama was carrying her suitcase in one hand and Daisy’s old crutch in the other.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Tourists hauled their suitcases over the doorstep into the fray, fresh off a flight or rushing to make one, if only they could get one last chicken finger first.

From Slate Aug. 24, 2026

"We literally threw everything into our suitcases and within 15 minutes were in the hire car."

From BBC Jul. 25, 2026

The royals packed their suitcases, bade farewell to the palace staff, and climbed into an armored Mercedes that drove them to a nearby rail station.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 6, 2026

Lugging suitcases across the border after packing up in Pakistan, Afghans are returning home with their worldly possessions but often lack one key item to restart their lives: an identity card.

From Barron's Jul. 3, 2026

Briefly I was cheered—my God, how silly I had been—but then I remembered the way Henry’s apartment had looked, the suitcases by the door.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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