satchel
Americannoun
-
satchels
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of satchel
1300–50; Middle English sachel < Old French < Latin saccellus, double diminutive of saccus sack 1; see -elle
Explanation
A satchel is a bag with a shoulder strap. People often carry their books in a leather satchel. There are many types of luggage people use for carrying their belongings, such as suitcases, briefcases, purses, backpacks, and duffel bags. Another is the satchel, which is a small or medium-sized case with a flat bottom. A satchel usually has a shoulder strap which makes it easier to carry, and it's often full of books. The word satchel is related to sack, both coming from the Latin root saccus, or "bag."
Vocabulary lists containing satchel
The Diary of Anne Frank
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Devil's Arithmetic
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
A Lesson Before Dying
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Not necessarily a designer one, but a handbag with a strong sense of itself — an acid-green baguette bag, a wicker orb with a padlock, a cheetah-print apothecary satchel.
From Salon ● Dec. 20, 2025
A mask, clothing and a satchel seen in surveillance footage from Providence was found in his car parked outside.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025
Peggy Jo nodded, stuck the money into a satchel, and walked out of the bank.
From Slate ● Nov. 15, 2025
The advert sees Keoghan, depicting his Banshees character Dominic Kearney, riding a donkey that is meandering along on a path in rural Ireland while he tosses laptops out of a satchel to bemused islanders.
From BBC ● Feb. 13, 2025
How good it felt to drop his heavy satchel, unbutton the starched white shirt, tear off those stiff school shorts, and jump into the refreshing water!
From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins
If that fails, mail carriers can put their mail satchels between themselves and the dog.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2024
At the time of the raid, he was compliant, albeit nervous for the researchers to scan his satchels of spice.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2023
The duo also presented a new leather goods line made up of satchels, backpacks, mini pouches and floral tote bags in bright colors.
From Reuters ● Sep. 18, 2019
The move will push the label, not best-known for items like satchels and wallets, closer to an aggressively competitive market.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 29, 2018
He unfastened the two leather satchels from the donkey’s back and tossed them into the dirt.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
