suitcase
Americannoun
-
suitcases
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of suitcase
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.
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 family of a Scottish aid worker found dead in a suitcase in Greece has said she was "kind, principled and selfless".
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Roberto Velasco, 84, brought a small suitcase and a hard disc containing copies of old family letters and keepsakes from his family in Chile over the 50 years he has spent in Spain.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Anyone, whether or not they worked at the airport or had a plane to catch, could walk in and leave an item as big as a suitcase.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
Unpacking my third suitcase in our new West Hollywood home, a sharp pain shot through my chest.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
Barker carried a suitcase with stickers labeled “Rush” and “Air Express” stuck to the side.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
"There's people on the beach here with their suitcases."
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
While Zee said you are usually allowed to fly with suitcases weighing up to 23kg, limiting the weight to 20kg helped to keep customs officers off the scent.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Torre packed his suitcases for the West Coast rather than taking a pay cut with the Yankees, bringing future manager Don Mattingly with him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
One man headed toward the border terminal under harsh sunlight, limping and struggling with two suitcases.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026
Not to be left out, Alexander and Beowulf ran to their suitcases and took out their Postal Tyger uniforms, soup-bowl hats and all.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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.
