trunk

American  

[truhngk] / trʌŋk /

noun

• trunks
  plural

1. the main stem of a tree, as distinct from the branches and roots.

2. a large, sturdy box or chest for holding or transporting clothes, personal effects, or other articles.

3. a large compartment, usually in the rear of an automobile, in which luggage, a spare tire, and other articles may be kept.

4. the body of a person or an animal excluding the head and limbs; torso.

5. Ichthyology. the part of a fish between the head and the anus.

6. Architecture.

   1. the shaft of a column.

   2. the dado or die of a pedestal.

7. the main channel, artery, or line in a river, railroad, highway, canal, or other tributary system.

8. Telephony, Telegraphy.

   1. a telephone line or channel between two central offices or switching devices that is used in providing telephone connections between subscribers generally.

   2. a telegraph line or channel between two main or central offices.

9. Anatomy. the main body of an artery, nerve, or the like, as distinct from its branches.

10. trunks,

    1. brief shorts, loose-fitting or tight, worn by men chiefly for boxing, swimming, and track.

    2. Obsolete. trunk hose.

11. the long, flexible, cylindrical nasal appendage of the elephant.

12. Nautical.

    1. a large enclosed passage through the decks or bulkheads of a vessel, for cooling, ventilation, or the like.

    2. any of various watertight casings in a vessel, as the vertical one above the slot for a centerboard in the bottom of a boat.

13. a conduit; shaft; chute.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or noting a main channel or line, as of a railroad or river.

trunk British  

/ trʌŋk /

noun

1. the main stem of a tree, usually thick and upright, covered with bark and having branches at some distance from the ground

2. a large strong case or box used to contain clothes and other personal effects when travelling and for storage

3. anatomy the body excluding the head, neck, and limbs; torso

4. the elongated prehensile nasal part of an elephant; proboscis

5. Also called: boot. an enclosed compartment of a car for holding luggage, etc, usually at the rear

6. anatomy the main stem of a nerve, blood vessel, etc

7. nautical a watertight boxlike cover within a vessel with its top above the waterline, such as one used to enclose a centreboard

8. an enclosed duct or passageway for ventilation, etc

9. (modifier) of or relating to a main road, railway, etc, in a network

   a trunk line

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subtrunk
  noun
• trunkful
  noun
• trunkless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• trunks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of trunk

1400–50; late Middle English trunke < Latin truncus stem, trunk, stump, noun use of truncus lopped

Explanation

The noun trunk refers to the main stem of a tree. If you want to make maple syrup, you need to tap the trunk of the maple tree and collect the tree's sap, which can then be boiled into a sticky syrup. The torso of the human body, from the neck to the groin — but not including the head, neck, arms, or legs — is sometimes referred to as the trunk. If you have hives on your trunk, you probably itch on your back, chest and abdomen. The word trunk comes from the Old French word tronc, which referred to the trunk of a tree or a headless body.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trunk trunks

No wonder Hilton look befuddled when my dad regaled him with the tale of entering the U.S. for the first time in the trunk of a Chevy in 1968.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

Laura added that Google Maps had previously shown incorrect speed limits on sections of the trunk road.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

The rootstock forms the roots and lower trunk and helps determine how well the tree withstands disease and its environment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

The possible structures appear within some scales, particularly around the neck, limbs, and along the sides of the trunk and tail.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

As he dropped back down, he saw the trunk of a giant redwood tree tremble.

From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret

The company aims to drum up intrigue this week by placing oversize pink luggage trunks across New York City before sailing a pink branded boat around Manhattan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

In 2024, the paper was allegedly leaked after printing, when sealed trunks were opened during transit to exam centres.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

Artisans scale the trunks with ropes and spikes to reach the greenish base of each frond.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026

These rings are somewhat similar to the annual rings found in tree trunks.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 22, 2026

A team of porters loaded the Babushkinovs’ trunks and luggage onto the troika.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• bag
• chest
• coffin
• crate
• locker
• luggage
• suitcase